FROM-THE-L1BRARY-OF 
 -KONRAD-BURDACH- 
 
nnr*^ 
 
MUCH ADOE ABOUT NOTHING, 
 
 WRITTKX P.Y 
 
 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. 
 
 THE QUARTO EDITION, 
 I6OO. 
 
 A FACSIMILE 
 
 BY 
 
 CHARLES PRAETORIUS. 
 
 WITH INTRODUCTION 
 
 BY 
 
 PETER AUGUSTIN DANIEL 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRODUCED BY C. PRAETORIUS, 14 CLAREVILLE GROVK, 
 HEREFORD SQUARE, S.W. 
 
 1886. 
 
- 1 
 
 CONTENTS OF INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The Entries on the Stationers' Register 
 Notice of the Publishers 
 
 Date of the Play 
 
 Xut mentioned by Meres 
 
 Kemp's connection with the Play 
 
 Mr. Brae's identification of the Play with Lone labours 
 
 Relation of Fo. to Qo. 
 
 The Fo. little more than a reprint 
 
 Variations in Stage directions ... 
 
 Fo. reproduces errors in Stage directions of the Qo. ,.. 
 
 Fo. reproduces errors of Qo. text 
 
 Errors peculiar to Fo. its omissions ... 
 
 Corrections and Variations in text of Fo. not due to MS. authority 
 
 List of Fo. Corrections and Variations 
 
 Line numbers and marginal marks of the Facsimile 
 
 v 
 
 vi 
 
 vi 
 
 vii 
 
 viii, ix 
 
 x 
 
 X 
 
 xii 
 
 40 SHAKSPERE QTTAKTO FACSIMILES, 
 
 WITH INTRODUCTIONS, LINE-NUMBERS, &C, 15 Y SHAKSPEKE SCHOLARS, 
 
 ISSUED UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF DR F. J. FURNIVALL. 
 
 8URDACH 
 
 Those by IV. Griggs. 
 
 No. 
 
 1. Hamlet. 1G03. 
 
 2. Hamlet. 1604. 
 
 3. Midsummer Night's Dream. 1600. (Fisher.) 
 
 4. Midsummer Night's Dream. 1600. .Roberts.) 
 
 5. Loves Labor's Lost. 1598. 
 
 6. Merry Wives. 1602. 
 
 7. Merchant of Venice. 1600. (Roberts.; 
 
 8. H?nry IV. 1st Part. 1598. 
 
 9. Henry IV. 2nd Part. 1600. 
 
 10. Passionate Pilgrim. 1599. 
 
 11. Richard LTI. 1597. 
 
 12. Venus and Adonis. 1593. 
 
 13. Troilus and Cressida. 1609. 
 
 2. Those by C. Praetorius. 
 14. Much Ado About Nothing. 1600. 
 
 15. Taming of a Shrew. 1594. 
 
 16. Merchant of Venice. 1600. (I. R. for 
 
 Thomas Heyes. ) 
 
 17. Richard LT. 1597. Duke of Devonshire's 
 
 copy. 
 
 18. Richard H. 1597. Mr Huth. (fntnrjrfift.) 
 
 19. Richard LT. 1603. Brit. Mus. (fut.y.v'ft.) 
 
 20. Richard II. 1631. (/V..,,YI/V ) 
 
 21. Pericles. 1609. Q,. 
 
 22. Pericles. 1609. Q 2 
 
 23. The Whole Contention. 1619. Part I. for 
 
 2 Henry VI.). 
 
 21. The Whole Contention. 1619. Port II. for 
 
 3 Henry VI 
 
 25. Rmeo and Juliet. 1597 
 
 40. 
 
 Romeo and Juliet. 1599. 
 Henry V. 1600. 
 Henry V. 1608. 
 Titus Andronicus. 1COO. 
 Sonnets and Lover's Complaint. 16C9. 
 Othello. 1622. 
 Othello. 1630. 
 
 KingLear. 1608. Qr. (N. Butter, /'/./, /;,</// 
 King Lear. 1608. QJ. (N. But 
 Lucrece. 1594. 
 
 Romeo and Juliet. Undated. (fot<jrnft.} 
 Contention. 1594. 
 True Tragedy. 1595. (not yet dt 
 The Famous Victories. 1538. notyetdene.) 
 The Troublesome Raigne. 1591. For 
 King John : not ?/< 
 
 \Shaksptrt-QtiartQ Fucshnih:^ No, \.\ ] 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 UNDER date 4th August, presumably in the year 1600, there is 
 an entry in the Stationers' Register to the effect that Much Ado 
 about Nothing and other plays, As You Like //, Jlcnry r. and 
 Every Man in his Humour, were "to be staled." 
 
 The reason for this stay or injunction is not known ; but shortly 
 after, on the 23rd August 1600, we find Much Ado and the second 
 part of Henry IV. entered for Andrew Wyse and William Aspley, 
 and both plays were printed for them, in this same year, by V. S. 
 [Valentine Sims]. 
 
 As regards the Publishers of these two Plays, I do not find in 
 the British Museum Catalogue of Early English Books that Wise 
 and Aspley had ever any other partnership relations. Wise appears 
 to have been in business from 1594 to 1602. During the years 
 1597-1599 he published the first two Qo. editions of each of the 
 three plays, Richard //., Richard III. and ist Pt. of Henry IV., 
 and, in 1602, a third edition of Richard III. On the 25th Jan. 
 1603 he transferred his right in all three to Matthew Law, by whom 
 nine subsequent editions (2 of Richard I L ; 3 of Richard III , and 
 4 of Henry IV. Pt. i) were published prior to their appearance in 
 the first Folio. In view of these numerous publications it is a 
 singular but unexplained fact that no second quarto editions of two 
 such popular plays as Much Ado and 2 Henry IV. should have 
 been issued. 
 
 Aspley is shown by the Catalogue above-mentioned to have been 
 in business from 1599 to 1630; his name appears on the title-page 
 of some copies of the Sonnets, 1609, as the bookseller, and in 1623 
 he was one of the four booksellers at whose charges the first P'o. 
 ed. of Shakespeare's Plays was printed (see Colophon of that vol.). 
 The two plays with which he was specially connected made their 
 appearance in that volume under very different circumstances ; for 
 while, as we shall see, MucJi Ado was little more than a reprint of 
 the Qo., it is very doubtful whether the Qo. ed. of 2 Henry IT. 
 was used at all as copy for the Fo. version. Mr H. A. Evans 
 does indeed, in his Introduction (p. viii) to the Facsimile of that 
 Qo., point out some instances of what appears to be reproduction of 
 Qo. blunders, and a few other seeming points of contact might be 
 adduced ; but on the whole I incline to agree with the Cambridge 
 
 
IV 
 
 3, WILL KEMP. 
 
 editors that the printers of the Fo. had only MS. copy for 2 
 
 //'. 
 The entries in the Stationers' Register of course determine the 
 
 date that can be assigned to Much Ado. How much earlier 
 it \vas produced is uncertain. Meres does not mention it in the 
 
 ; twelve plays which he gives in his PaUadis Tamia, 1598, 
 and although this of course is no proof that it was not then in 
 
 ::ce, Meres has shown himself to be so well informed with 
 
 '; to the literature of the day, published and unpublished, that 
 the absence from his list of so popular a play as this must at once 
 have become, has been accepted by nearly all editors as a main 
 argument for fixing the date of its production at some time in 1599, 
 1600. 
 
 Another point to be considered in regard to date is Will Kemp's 
 connection with the play : from the prefixes to the speeches in Act 
 IV. sc. ii., we learn that he took the part of Dogberry and was no 
 doubt its first personator, or (< creator," according to modern 
 theatrical parlance, and did we know the exact time at which he 
 withdrew from the Chamberlain's Company we might possibly be 
 able to determine the date to be assigned to the play more precisely 
 than by the entries in the Stationers' Register we now can do. That 
 he was a member of the Company in 1598 we have the testimony 
 of Ben Jonson, who includes his name in the list of Chamberlain's 
 men who acted in Every Man in his Humour in that year ; Jonson 
 docs not mention him in a similar list of the actors of Every Man 
 out of his Hwnour, performed by the same Company in 1599 ; but 
 we cannot therefore conclude that Kemp had then quitted that 
 company ; Kemp and Shakespeare, in fact, are in exactly the same 
 position as regards these two plays : both performed in the first, 
 neither in the second ; and we know of course that Shakespeare had 
 not parted company with the Chamberlain's men. From this 
 mention of him in 1598 till his name appears in Henslowe's Diary, 
 irch, 1602, we know nothing of Kemp's career, with the 
 
 :on of the fact that in the Lent of 1599 he danced his famous 
 
 Morris between Lrndon and Norwich; but as this was during the 
 
 theatrical vacation it would not have interfered with his duties in 
 
 the company. The account of this Morris, which he published the 
 
 ne dates wonder, was entered in the Stationers' 
 
 r, 22 April, 1600. 
 
 appearance then of Kemp's name in the play, as the 
 tOI <>f Do-berry, is in no way inconsistent with the 
 
 ily received opinion that Much Ado was produced at some 
 time between the date of Mcrcs's book and the entries of the play 
 in tl. 
 
 above that Mercs makes no mention of our play ; 
 
LOUE LABOURS woNNH. RELATIONS OK Q.O. ^ po. v 
 
 but included in his list of twelve he gives us the title of a play 
 called Lone, labours ivonnc, and Mr A. 1C. Urae in his pamphlet 
 entitled Collier, Coleridge and Shakespeare^ 1860, endeavours to prove 
 that this is merely another title for Much Ado about Nothing. This 
 identification if established would necessarily throw back the date 
 of our play to some time not later than the beginning of 1598 ; but 
 I own, ingenious as Mr Mrac's arguments certainly are, they fail to 
 carry conviction to my mind. Much Ado is not the only play which 
 is supposed to be referred to under the title of Love labours 
 li'onne : Dr. Farmer in his Essay on the Learning of Shakspeare (see 
 Vol. I. p. 314, Var. 1821), suggested All's Well that Ends Well 
 as probably the supposed lost play \ the Rev. Joseph Hunter in 
 his Disquisition on The Tempest, 1841, and again in his New 
 Illustrations. 1845, Vol. I. pp. 130 and 359, argued in favour of The 
 Tempest ; Prof. G. L. Craik, in his English of Shakespeare, ist ed. 
 r ^57? P- 7 advocated the claims of the Taming of the Shrew, and 
 after carefully considering all these claims I see no reason why 
 As You Like It and Twelfth Night should not also enter into the 
 competition ; though possibly it will be thought that a title which 
 can be made to fit so many different plays probably belongs to 
 none of them. ^ 
 
 At any rate it does not seem to me that the claim of Much Ado 
 to this title is sufficiently established to allow of its intervention 
 on the question of the date of that play. 
 
 A matter presenting less scope for ingenious speculation, but 
 one of very much greater importance, is that of the relationship of 
 the Qo. and Fo. versions ; 'till this is ascertained, and their relative 
 authority determined, no satisfactory settlement of the text is possible. 
 
 As regards Much Ado the question presents no great difficulties, 
 and it may be stated briefly and with confidence that in 1623 the 
 only authority Messrs. Heminge and Condell had for their Folio 
 edition was a copy of the quarto containing a few MS. alterations 
 and corrections made probably years before, and not specially for 
 this purpose. By far the greater number of the variations of the 
 Fo. must, however, be attributed to carelessness on the part of its 
 printer, not to MS. alterations made by the corrector of the Qo. 
 indeed the fewness and small importance of those which can be 
 attributed to deliberate alteration and correction forbid the notion 
 that any independent MS. of the Play could have been consulted 
 for the purpose, or that any sustained effort was made to supply the 
 deficiencies of the Qo. and correct its errors. 
 
 In the Fo. we find the Play divided into Acts, and Sc. i. of the 
 first Act marked ; but no further attempt to number the scenes was 
 made. The Fo., or rather the "corrected" Qo. from which it was 
 printed, must also be credited with the marking of four or five 
 
vi V.M;: \GE DIRECTIONS. IACKE WILSON. 
 
 more exi'/s than appear in the Qo. ; but, as regards the stage 
 directions and distribution of speeches generally, both editions are 
 almost equally deficient and faulty. The only variations worth 
 in this respect are: 
 
 1. 88. The Qo. has Enter prince, Pedro, Claudia, 
 
 and Ikncaicke, and Balthaser, or dumb lohn. To this muddle the 
 
 ithout correcting it, adds Maskers with a drum. In the 
 
 same scene, 1. 1 60, the Qo. has Dance exeunt, which the Fo. changes 
 
 iicke for the dance. 
 
 In the same scene, 1. 217, the Qo. has Enter the Prince, Hero, 
 Leonatj, lohn and Borachio, and Conrade. The Fo. rightly omits 
 all after Prince, and at 1. 270 where the Qo. has Enter Claudia and 
 
 /ice, the Fo. rightly adds Hero, Leonato. 
 
 Act II. sc. iii. at line 38 the Qo. has Enter prince, Leonato, 
 Claudio, Musicke, and at line 44 Enter BaltJias-.r with musicke. 
 For these two stage directions the Fo. only has, at 1. 38, Enter 
 />/>/<Y, Leonato, Claudio, and lacke Wilson.* 
 
 Act II. sc. iii. 195. A speech given to Claudio in Qo. is assigned 
 to Leonato in Fo. ; either may be right. 
 
 Act III. sc. i. in the first entrance, the Fo. corrupts Hero's 
 Gentlewomen to Gentlemen. 
 
 Act III. sc. ii. 1. 54. A speech wrongly assigned to Bened'ck 
 in the Qo. isj in the Fo. given to Prince; though it might equally 
 well have been given to Leonato. 
 
 Act V. sc. i. 1. 209. The Fo. for Enter Constables has Enter 
 Constable ; and at 1. 267 where the Qo. has Enter Leonato, his brother 
 and the Sexton, the Fo. wrongly omits all after Leonato. 
 
 V. sc. iv. 1. 33, at the entry of the Prince and Claudio, 
 the Fo. changes and two or three other to with attendants. 
 
 In other places the Fo. reproduces the stage directions just as 
 .pear in the Qo. ; Innogen, wife of Leonato, a character not 
 
 1 Mr Collier supposed that "lacke Wilson" might be identical with a 
 
 :i, son of XieholaN Wilson, minstrel," a record of whose birth, 24th 
 
 April, 15X5, he had discovered in the registers of St. Giles^Cripplegate ; he 
 
 that this might be the same individual as the "Mr Wilson, the 
 
 lined with Alleyn, the actor, on the anniversary of his wedding, 
 
 . and that he was not only a singer, but a composer of Shaksperian 
 
 ;rs of Alleyn, Sh. Soc. 1841, p. 153. Sh. Soc. l\-tpcr$, 
 
 v and Introduction to Memoirs of Actors, Sh. Soc. 1846, p. 
 
 xvii.) This last piece of information Mr Collier would seem to have derived in 
 
 an imperfrct manner I . F. Rimbault, who in 1846, in a pamphK t 
 
 t, with some degree of probability, to 
 identify him with John Wilson, Dr and Prof, of Music at Oxford, who was born 
 
 '73- 
 
 m M..IH the birth dates of these two individuals that neither of 
 i I'l.'.Hhasar ; but cither might, for any- 
 utiaiy, have taken the part at some revival of the play. 
 <>n of the name in the theatrical copy of tin 
 
i:ui;<>iis IN STACK i>n;: LND IN MOLTS OF QO, A' i. vii 
 
 in the Play at all, is reproduced in the Fo. as in the Oo. in the 
 entrances to Act I. sc. i., and Act II. sc. i. ; in Act I. sc. i. 1. 205, 
 the Fo. follows the Qo. in making "John the bastard " enter with 
 I )<>n Pedro, though he has nothing whatever to do with this part of 
 the scene ; the cousins or attendants whom Leonato addresses at 
 the end of Act I. sc. li, are no more provided in the stage directions 
 of the Fo. than of the Qo. ; in Act II. sc. i. 11. 104, 107, 109, three 
 sj leeches belonging to Balthasar remain in the Fo. as in the Qo. to 
 Penedick ; no correction appears in the Fo. of the jumble by which 
 in III. in. 1. 187 Conrade is made to speak both his own and the 
 watchman's speeches; the confusion of prefixes to the speeches in 
 Act IV. sc. ii. where Kemp's and Cowley's names are given 
 instead of those of the characters they represented is the same in 
 the Fo. as in the Qo., with the exception that the prefix to the 
 mangled speeches, 11. 70, 71, which the Qo. gives to Couley is 
 changed in the Fo. to Sex. i. e. the Sexton, who has already left the 
 stage; in Act V. sc. hi., in both Qo. and Fo., Claudio's speech 11. 
 22, 23 is given to Lo. \^Lord\ and printed as prose ; and in Act V. 
 sc. v. 1. 98, the Fo., as the Qo., gives to Leonato the privilege 
 which belongs to Benedick, of stopping Beatrice's sweet mouth. 
 
 In the text itself we find in the Fo. the same persistence in the 
 errors and peculiarities of the Qo. The following instances the 
 number of which might be largely increased will, added to those 
 already displayed in connection with the stage-directions, suffice to 
 establish the dependence of the Fo. on the Qo. : 
 
 I. i. i and 10. In both places Don Pedro called Peter. 
 
 I. i. 59 
 
 "But for the stuffing well, we are all mortall." stuffing and 
 well wrongly connected. 
 
 I. i. 89. Benedick called Benedict. 
 
 III. ii. 28 
 
 " Well euery one canw/ master a griefe, but he that has it." 
 
 III. ii. 118 
 
 "If you loue her, then to-morrow wed her." Comma should 
 come after then. 
 
 III. iii. ii. George Sea-cole. In Act III. sc. v. he becomes 
 Francis. 
 
 III. iii. 158 
 
 "how the Prince Claudio and my master planted, and placed, 
 and possessed by my master Don lohn." Evidently corrupt ; 
 
 should probably read "how the Prince and Claudio planted 
 and placed and possessed by my master Don lohn." 
 
 III. V. 10 
 
 " Speakes a little 0/"the matter." of fa off'. 
 
viii LIAU TO 
 
 IV. i. 57- 
 
 " Out on thee seeming, etc. 
 
 IV. i. 103 
 
 >out thy thoughts and counsailes of thy heart." thy for the. 
 
 IV. i. 145-147. Ijenedick's speech. "Sir, sir, . . . what to 
 , ." Printed as prose. 
 
 IV. i. 157-160. Commencement of Friar's speech. "Heare 
 me . . . I have markt." Printed as prose. 1 
 
 IV. i. 204 
 
 " Your daughter heere the Princesse (left for dead] " should be the 
 princes left for dead. 
 
 V. ii. 47- 
 
 " let me goe with that I came" should be came for. 
 
 It was perhaps scarcely worth while to take into account obvious 
 blunders peculiar to the Fo., but, as showing the general inferiority 
 of its text, the following instances may be noted : 
 
 I. i. 51. ease for eate; I. iii. 41. / will make for / make; II. i. 
 
 tliis instance the Cambridge Editors remark "The commencement of 
 the Friar's speech comes at the bottom of page, sig. G. i. (r) of the Quarto. The 
 type appears to have been accidentally dislocated, and the passage was then set 
 up as prose." The Editors further suppose that "some words were probably 
 i./ lost in the operation," and they accordingly mark a b/cuna in their Glofa edition, 
 aeory of a bit of "pie" resulting in corruption of the text demands very 
 ration. I do not perceive that any words are wanting for the 
 , and my examination of the page (49 of our Facsimile) inclines me to 
 believe that there was nothing accidental in the printing of a portion of it as 
 i lie page, it will be observed, is abnormally long, and consists of 39 
 Una ; whereas the regular full page, including line for signature and catch-word, 
 38 only : but if this page had been printed metrically throughout it would 
 have rea ui red 42 lines ; of which three would have been occupied by Benedick's 
 ch, 11. 145-7, and four by the commencement of the Friar's speech. Now it 
 I to be supposed that the whole play was set up by one man, and it is there- 
 allowable to imagine that the portion assigned to let us say Compositor 
 A. m.'v b with the last line of this page: the following portion, given 
 
 out B., may have been made up into pages before A. had finished 
 
 his stint. \YY s to be pulled to pieces to make room for the fag end 
 
 of A.'s work? I imagine not : it was less trouble to compress a few lines of 
 , with the help of an extra line, to get all A.'s work into his 
 . a> we now see it in p. 49 of our Facsimile. Probably to a somewhat 
 'ion in the printing office was due the appearance in prose of the 
 / Ma!> speech in Romeo and Ju lift. See p. 
 mile of Q2 of that play, edited by Mr II. A. K\. 
 
 worth noting here that this p. 49 of J/.v.V/ Ado has received some slight 
 
 corre ...timi-% in i through the press: in 1. 125, " Do not Hue Hero, do 
 
 , the British Museum . 12. g. 29, has a comma in 
 
 lien >!" the line ; in line 149, "Lady, were you her bedfellow 
 
 night?", t!. and has a full stop in place 
 
 of T ui at the end of the line; the last words also of the 
 
 I UK- markt," do not in thi- with the line above, but are the 
 
 letter within the line. 
 
OMISSIONS IN I-'.). 
 
 TOO. Lone for Lnic ; II. i. 284. ////v Lady tongue for inv I. a lie 
 Tongue; II. i. 305. something of a iealous complexion, a for that ; 
 
 II. i. 328. ho is in my heart, my for /ier ; II. ii. 34. on for J),>/t ; 
 
 III. i. 79. It were a better death, to die with mockes, to for ///<v/ .- 
 
 IV. i. 128. reward for re reward; V. i. 6. comfort for e^in forte r; 
 
 V. ii. 33. ;/ffM for names : \. ii. 38, 39. ///// (twice) for /v'///t'. 
 Tlie chief sins however of the Fo. in this respect are sins of 
 
 omission ; besides numerous single words, the omission of which 
 may be unhesitatingly ascribed to carelessness on the part of the 
 printer, the Fo. omits some eight or nine lines, here noted ; the 
 omitted passages being printed in Italic : 
 
 I. i. 311, 312 
 
 "And I will breake with hir, and with her father. 
 And thou shalt hane her : wast not to this end," etc. 
 
 A common error of the press : the eye of the compositor 
 glancing to the her in the second line, he overlooked the words 
 between. See similar instances noted at the end of I)r Furnivall's 
 :wrds to the Q2 Hamlet Facsimile. 
 
 III. ii. 33-37 
 
 "as to be a Dutch-man to day, a French-man to morrow, or in the 
 shape of tivo countries at once, as a Gerinaine from the wasts. 
 downwards^ all slops, and a Spaniard from the hip vpward, no 
 dublct. " 
 
 Malone suggested that this passage may have been struck out 
 "to avoid giving any offence to the Spaniards, with whom James 
 became a friend in 1604." 
 
 IV. i. 20 
 
 " What men daily do, not knowing what they do" 
 
 Here, as in the first instance, the compositor having set up the 
 first do, supposed he had arrived at the second. 
 
 IV. ii. 18-23 
 
 Kemp [Dogberry] loq. . . . " maisters, do you serue God ? 
 
 /' >th. Yea sir u<e hope. 
 
 Kem. Write do-am, that they hope they seme God : and ivrite God 
 
 fa-st, for God defend but God should goe before such villaines : 
 
 maisters it is proued," etc. 
 
 Blackstone supposes that this omission " may be accounted for 
 from the stat. 3 Jac. I. c. 21." 
 
 V. iv. 33- 
 
 ' ' Here comes the Prince and Claudia. " 
 
 I have given Malone's and Blackstone's reasons for the omission 
 of two of these passages ; but I apprehend they may all be set down 
 to accident. 
 
X NO MS. AUTHORITY I-Y)K FO. : ITS C< >KU1-;<JTIO\S & VARIATIONS. 
 
 In reviewing then the errors of the Fo., enough, I think, has 
 been said to prove beyond dispute its connection with the Qo. : it 
 now remains to consider whether that connection has been in any 
 way affected by the supervising authority of a MS. copy of the play, 
 as has been shown to be the case with some other plays where the 
 Qo. editions have been made use of in providing "copy" for the 
 printers of the Fo. 
 
 I have already expressed my conviction that no such MS. copy 
 was consulted for the Fo. edition of Much Ado ; but in order that 
 the reader may have before him all the evidence on which such an 
 opinion could be founded, I have made out a list of all the correc- 
 tions and variations of the Fo. that have been received into modern 
 texts, Mr. Knight's especially ; for he more than any other editor 
 has taken the Fo. for his guide. When he rejects its authority in 
 favour of the Qo. the Fo. reading must indeed be " grandly sus- 
 picious." In this list I have marked with a star [*] all such 
 variations as I consider to be obvious corrections : there will not, I 
 think, be found among them any that might not have been made by 
 an ordinarily intelligent reader of the Qo. A number of others I 
 have marked with a dagger [t] : most of these seem to me very 
 palpable blunders, and I should not have encumbered my list with 
 them were it not that Mr Knight has adopted and popularized 
 them in his numerous editions. Another few I have marked with 
 a parallel [ || ] : their acceptance or rejection would, I presume, 
 depend on the degree of authority to be assigned to Qo. or Fo. For 
 the rest, which I have left blank, I think we need not look further 
 than to the caprice or carelessness of the printer for their origin. 
 
 The quotations are taken from the Qo v followed by the 
 variations of the Fo. 
 
 i. 51 "he is" he's. 
 
 i. 9 " ere a be cured" ere he be cur'J. 
 
 i. 9 3 " ) ' lllt will neuer "you' I ne'er. 
 
 . i. 96 "arc yon come to meet your trouble " jw/ an: 
 
 . i. 1 06 " Were you in doubt >" j/Vom. 
 
 i. 147 " 77/tf/ is the summe of all" This. 
 
 \ " How sweetly you do minister to l<>ue " -do v.>n. 
 
 t 
 
 t 
 
 H. 4 "I can tell you strange newes " strange 
 
 oin. 
 
 11. 10 
 
 " in mine orchard" my. 
 
 . 11. 1 1 were thus much ouer-heard "much om. 
 
 . iii. 8 "what blessing brings it" brir. 
 
 . in. 9 " n ( i fas i a patient sufferance" vet. 
 
OORB1 \\i- VARIATIONS <!' FO. xi 
 
 I* I. iii. 25 "where it is impossible you should take (rut i 
 
 true om. 
 
 t I. iii. 63 "I whipt )>ic behind the arras" me om. 
 
 II. i. 17 "if a could" he. 
 
 II. i. 34 " light on a husband" vpon. 
 
 t II. i. 56 "father, as it please you" -father om. 
 
 t II. i. 65 " to make an account of her life "an om. 
 
 1 1 . i. 1 46 ' he both pleases men " -pleaseili. 
 
 II. i. 195 "county" count, 
 
 * II. i. 222 "I toldehim, and I thinke /tolde him true" last /<m. 
 r 11. l. 223 " the goodwil of this young Lady " will. 
 
 h 1 1. i. 263 " to binde him vp a rod " vp om. 
 
 II. i. 25 1 " that I was duller than a great thawe " and that. 
 
 t II. i. 288 "a double heart for his single one" a. 
 
 II. i. 346 "out a question" of. 
 
 II. i. 370 " countie " connte. 
 
 t II. i. 376 "to haue al things answer my mind " my om. 
 
 t II. ii. 37 "as in lone of your brothers honor" in a lone. 
 
 II. ii. 49 "such seeming truth of Heroes disloyaltie" - truths. 
 
 t II. ii. 57 " Be you constant "than. 
 
 * II. iii. 141 "your daughter told ofvs"vs of. 
 
 \ II. iii. 162 " he would make but a sport of it " but make. 
 
 II. iii. 178 "what a will say" he. 
 
 II. iii. 192 "Before God" 'Fore. 
 
 t II. iii. 197 "you may say he is wise " see. 
 
 t II. iii. 199 " a most christianlike feare " most om. 
 
 "t II. iii. 207 "shall we go seeke Benedicke " see. 
 
 II. iii. 217 " vnworthy so good a lady " to haue so. 
 t II. iii. 223 " gentlewomen " gentlewoman. 
 
 * 1 1 1 . i. 4 " Vrsley " Vrsitla. 
 
 || III. i. 12 " to listen our propose " purpose. 
 
 II III. i. 58 "lest sheele make sport at it" sfu. 
 
 || III. i. 104 " Shees limed I warrant you " fane. 
 
 III. ii. 39 "as you would haue it appeare he is"--/^ appeare. 
 t HI. ii. 64 < conclude, conclude, he is in loue " conclude om. 
 
 III. ii. 106 " she has bin " hath bcene. 
 
 t III. ii. 132 "beare it coldely but 'till midnight" night. 
 
 t III. iii. 37 "for the watch to babble and to talke" to om. 
 
xil CORRECTIONS AND VARIATIONS OF FO. TI1E FACSIMILE. 
 
 1 1 1. iii. 45 "bid those that are drunke "them. 
 
 * III. iii. 85 " the statutes '' statues. 
 III. iii. 134 ' this vij. jtr>r "yeares. 
 
 t III. iii. 148 "Al this I see, and / see " / om. 
 
 t III. iii. 162 "And thought they Margaret was Hero?" thy. 
 
 || III. iii. 48 "youle see lie shall lacke no barnes "look. 
 
 || III. V. 27 " a thousand pound more " times. 
 
 III. v. 34 "ha tane" haue. 
 
 t" III. v. 54 "as it may appeare vnto you " it om. 
 
 t I V. 1. 7 7 "I charge thee do so, as thou art my child " doc. 
 
 IV. i. 88 " Why then are you no maiden" you are. 
 \ V. i. 97 " Xot to be spoke of" spoken. 
 
 || IV. i. 163 " In angel whitenesse beate away those blushes " bcare. 
 
 \ V. i. 2 7 7 " Do not jw* and eate it " sweare by it. 
 
 t IV. i. 293 "You kill me to deny it" it om. 
 
 IV. i. 318 "Counte, Counte Comfect" Count, Com/at. 
 
 IV. l. 336 "I will kisse your hand, and so /leaue you" /om. 
 
 * IV. ii. 53 Vea^/ masse" by th\ 
 
 V. i. 7 " whose wrongs doe sute with mine" doth. 
 
 \ . 1. 24 " Would giue preceptiall medcine to rage " medicine. 
 
 \. i. 63 " mine innocent child " my. 
 
 \. i. 162 " true said she, a fine little'one " sates. 
 
 "t* V. i. 272 " Art ///# the slaue " thou thou (printing the verse as 
 prose). 
 
 + V. i. 8 1 "he shall Hue no longer in monument then the bell 
 
 rings " monuments . . . bells ring. 
 
 Y. iii. 10 " Praising her when I am dead" dombe. 
 |j V. iii. 21 " Ifcauily hsanily" fleancnly, hcanenly. 
 V. iv. 7 "all things sorts" sort. 
 
 The Acts, scenes and lines of the Facsimile are numbered in 
 accordance with the Globe edition on the outer margin; on this 
 innrL'in also a dagger [t] marks every line varying in any way in 
 its text from the Fo. ; lines peculiar to the Qo. and omitted in Fo. 
 are marked with an asterisk [*]. On the inner margin a da. 
 marks any variation of the su : :ons or of the prefixes to 
 
 i and a caret [<] marks t! \\here additional stage 
 
 diiv 1 the Ad divisions are found in the Fo. 
 
 T. A. I>AMKI. 
 '!. 1886. 
 
Much adoe about 
 Nothing. 
 
 f it hath beenfundrie times pu 
 
 aftcd by the right honourabte,the Lord 
 Chamberlain e his feruants. 
 
 Written by Wilfam- 
 
 LONDON 
 
 Printed by V.S.far Andrew Wife.and 
 
 William Afpley. 
 
 itfoo. 
 

Much adoe about 
 
 eoftato ^oucrnour of^JWefliw, Innv^en his wife, Hero 
 hit daughter, and Beatrice his Mtictjtub A 
 
 mcflatgcr, 
 
 Leonalo, 
 
 Lcamc in this letter , that don Peter of Arragoa 
 comes this mg;h( to Mcffitu. 
 
 Ait ff. H e is very nc.rc by thiSjhe was not three 
 leagues offwhcn I Idt him. 
 Lt.ona. How many gentlemen haue you loft in this alhon* 
 Cfl/cf Bui few of any fort,and none of name. 
 Leon*. A viftory is twice it felfe, when the atchiuer brings 
 home rul numbers: I find hcre,that don Peter hath beftowed 
 much honour on a yong Florentine called Claudio, 
 
 CJ^f eff. Much dc(cru\i on his part, and equally remembred 
 by don Pedro,hc hath borne himfelfc beyond the promife of 
 his ag;e,domg in the figureofalamb,th feats of a lion,he hath 
 indeed better bettred expectation trnjn you muft expe^ of me 
 to tell you how. 
 
 Leo. He hath an vnckle here in Meflina will be very much 
 glad of it, 
 
 Mcf. I haue already deliuered him letters, and there ap- 
 pearcs much ioy in hinreucn fo muduhat ioy could not (hew 
 it felfe modeft enough, without a badgt of biUemcfTc. 
 Leo. Did he brcakc out mto teare*? 
 In great mtafure. 
 
 A a Leo. 
 
Leo. A kind ouerfiow of kindnefTe^here are no faces truct 
 then thofe that arc fo wafht, how ruuch better is it to wccpe at 
 ioy,then to ioy at weeping? 
 
 Ticatr. I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returnd from the 
 warres or no? 
 
 Adefftn. I know none of that name, ladie, there wasnone 
 filch in the army of any fort. 
 
 Leonato What is he that you aske for neece? 
 
 Htro My cofcn meanes Signior Benedickeof Padua. 
 
 cJW*jf. O hee's rerurnd, and aspleafantaseuerhewas, 
 
 Bea. He fetvp his bills here in Medina, and challengde 
 Cupid at theFlight, and my vncles foole reading the chalenge 
 fubfcnbde for Cupid, .and challengde him at the Burbolt : I 
 pray you,how many hath he kild and eaten in thefe warres? 
 but how many hath he ki!d?for indeede I promifed to eate all 
 of his killing. 
 
 Leo. Faith ncece you taxe Signior Benedickc too rnuc^ 
 b ut heele be meet with you ,1 doubt i t not. 
 
 Meff. He hath done good feruice lady in thefe warres. 
 
 *#*/. You had muily vittaile,and he hath holpe to eate it, 
 he is a very valuunt trencher nun , he hatli an excellent (lo 
 macke. 
 
 yl/^/I And a good fouldier too,fady. 
 
 EC fit. And a good fouidiour to a Lady, but what is he to n 
 Lord? 
 
 c&f?/. A lord to a lord, a mnn to a man^ufft with al hono- 
 rable vertues. 
 
 ^fat. It js fo indecd,hc is no leflc then a ftuft mnn, but for 
 the fluffing wci,we arc al mortail. 
 
 Iso. Youmuftnot, fjr.mrilakcmyneece, there is a kind 
 of may Want betwixt Senior Betiedickennd her,^heyneuer 
 meet but there's a skirmifti ofwitbct\vecnethcm. 
 'Rfat. Alas he gets nothing by that,m our Jaftconflift,4of his 
 fiuc wits went hairing ofF,and now is the whole mnn o;oucrnd 
 with one.fo ihntif he nnue wit enough to keep himfclfwarrn, 
 let him bearc it for a difference between himfdfand hishorfc, 
 for it is all die wealth that he hath left, to be known a reafona- 
 
 bte 
 
 
1.1. 
 
 blc creattire>who is his companion novv^hc hath cuery month 
 ancwfworne brother* 
 
 Mef Iftpofliblc? 
 
 Beat. Very ealily pofilblc,hc weares his faith but as the fa- 
 fliion of his hnt,it eucr changes with the next blodce. 
 
 Mc$. I fee lady the gentleman is not in your bookes. 
 
 Beat. No, and he were, I would buruemy flu dy, but I pray no 
 you who is his companion? is there no yong fquarer now that 
 will make a voyage with him to the diucll? 
 
 Meff. He is moft in the companic of the right noble Clan- 
 
 Beat. O Lord, he will hang vpon him like a difcafc, heeis 
 (boner caught than the peflilence, and the taker runs prefcnt- 
 ly madde, God help the noble Claudio, if hchaue caught the 
 t willcofl him a thoufand poundereabccuied. 
 I will holde friends with you Ladie. 
 Do good fnend. 
 Leon. You will ncuerrunnc madde niece. 
 Bt\it. No,not till a hole January. 
 Don Pedro is approacht. 
 
 Enter don r PfAro, 
 
 Pedro COCK! fignior Lconato, arc you come to meet your 
 trouble : the fadiion of the world is,to auoyd coft^and you in- 
 counter it- 
 
 Leon. Neucr came trouble to my houfe, in the IrlcencfTe of 
 your grace, for trouble being gone, cojnfort fliould remaine: 
 but when you depart from mee, (brrow abides, and Iiappincs 
 takes his leaue. 
 
 Pedro You embrace your charge too willingly : I thinckc 
 this is your daughter. 
 
 Leonato Her mother hath many times tolde me fo. 
 
 *Bcncd. Were you in doubt fir that you askt her? 
 
 Leontto Signior Benedicke,no, for then were you a child. 
 
 Pedro You haue it full Benedicke/Acc may ghciic by this, 
 what you are , being a man, trucly the Lady fathexs her fclfe: 
 
 A 3' be 
 
be happy Lady , for you are Hk* an honourable father. 
 
 *Be. If Sigmor Leonato be iier father, ihc would not hauc 
 his head on her Shoulders for all Medina as like himaslheis. 
 
 Beat. I wonder that you will fhll be talking, fignior B cne- 
 dicke, no body markes you. 
 
 'Bene. What my dccrc lady Difdaine! are you yet liuing? 
 
 BM. Is it pciTible Difdaine ihould die,wni]e fhe hath iuch 
 neete foode to teede it, as figmor Benedickc? Curtcfic it fdf c 
 mull conuert to l)iidaine,if you ccme in her pretence. 
 
 Tlene. Then is curtcfie a turne-coate , bat it is certaJne I am 
 loued of all Ladies, oneheyou exceptod: and 1 would I could 
 finde in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for trucly I loue 
 none. 
 
 Sett. A dccrehappinciTetowomcTij they would clfehaue 
 beene troubled with a perrmious Cuter, I thanke God and my 
 cold blood, 1 am of your humour for that, I had rather hearc 
 my dog barke at a crow, than a man fweare he loues me. 
 
 Bene. God kecpe your I.adifhip flii in that mind , fo fome 
 Gentleman or.othcr /hall fcape a predeftinate fcratcht face. 
 
 Beat. Scratching could not make it worfc , and twere filch 
 a face as yours were. 
 
 Tlene. Well,you are a rare parrat teacher. 
 
 Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beaft of yours. 
 
 Tien. I would my horfe had the fpeed of your tongue, and 
 fo good a contmuer, but keep your way a Gods name,I hauc 
 done. 
 
 'Beat. You alwayescnd with a iades tricke, I knowe you of 
 olde. 
 
 Pedrff That is the fummeof all: Leonato'/ignior Claudio, 
 and flenior ftcncdicke, my dcere friend Leonato,hath inuited 
 you all, I tell him we fhall flay here, at the lead a rnoncth, and 
 he heartily praies fbme occaflon may detdine vs longer, I dare 
 fweare he is no hypocrite, but praies from his heart. 
 
 Leon. If you fwcai c, my lord, you fhall not be fbrfwornc, 
 let mec bidde you welcome, my lord, being reconciled to the 
 Prince your brother : F owe you all dnetie. 
 
 John I thahkcyou, I am not of many wordcs,but I thanke 
 you Leon. 
 
about frothing. 
 
 Leon. Pleafe i t your grace leadc on? 
 Pcdre Your hand Leonato,wc vvil go together. 
 exeunt. Mancr.t Benedickc & Clattdio. 
 fax. Bencdickc,didft thou note the daughter of Signior 
 Bens. I noted her not,btit 1 looktc on her, (Lconato? 
 7<* . Is fhc not a modeli vong ladie? 
 *Bene . Do you quefhon me as an honed man fhould doe. 
 for my (imple truehidgement ? or would you hauc me fpcake 
 after my cullome,as being a profcfled tvrant to their fex* 
 Cto.udto No,I pray thee fpeakcin (bber iudgcment. 
 r Bcne. Why y faith me thinks foees too low for a hiepraife, 
 too browne for a faire praifc, and too litk for a great praife,on- 
 Jie this commendation J can affoord her, that were ftiee other 
 then fhcis,fhc were vnhanfbmc,and being no other,but as /he 
 is, I do nothkehcr. 
 
 CUudio Thou thinlcefl I am in (port , I pray thce tell mee 
 truclie how thou lik'ft her. 
 
 Bene . Would you buic her that you enquicr after her? 
 flaudio Can the world buie fuch a jewel? 
 'Be ve . Yea , and a ca(c to putte it into, but fpeake you this 
 with a fad brow? or doc you play the i!owtin; lacke, to tell vs 
 Cupid is a good Hare- finder, and Vulcan a rare Carpenter : 
 Comejn what key iliall a man take you to go in thcfong? 
 
 flaudw In mine eic , Oiee is the fweetefl Ladic that euer I 
 lookt on. 
 
 Bcncd. I can fee yet whhou t fpeftaclcs , and I fee no fuch 
 matter : theres her cofln, and fhc were not poiTeft with a fury, 
 excecdes her as mud i in beautie, as the firil of Maic dooth the 
 laft of December : but I hope you haue no intent to turne hu(^ 
 band ^haue you? 
 
 Ciaudio I would fcarce rrufl my felfe, though I had (worne 
 the contrarie ? if Hero would be my wife. 
 
 Bcned. Ift come to this ? in faith hnth not the worlde one 
 man but he will wcare his cappc with fufpition ? fliall I neu^r 
 fee a batcheller of three fcore againe?go to yfaith,and thou wilt 
 needes thruft thy necke into a yoke, weare the print of it, and 
 figh away fundaies:looke,don Pedro is returned to feeke you. 
 
8 
 
 Pnterdor. Pedro> lohtt the baTfrtrd 
 
 Pedro What fccrct h*th hdd you here , tliat you followed 
 not to Leonntncs? 
 'cttf. 1 would ycmr Grace would conftraine me to tell. 
 
 Pedro I charge thce on thy allcgcancc, 
 
 *$en. You hearc,Count Claudio,! can befccretas a dumb 
 man , I woulde haue you thinkc (b ( but on my allegiance, 
 mnrke you this,on my allegiance jhe is in loue, with who?now 
 that isyour Graces pan: rmrke how ftiorthis anfwcris, with 
 Hero Lconatoesiho it daughter* 
 
 C/. If this were fo,fo were it vttrcd. 
 
 7>ened. Like the oldc talc, my Lord , it is not fb, nor twas 
 tiot fo : but indccdc,God forbid it fliouW be (b, 
 
 Clwdio ] f my padion change not Hiortly, God forbid it 
 /hould be othcrwifc. 
 
 Pedro Amcn^ ifyoulouehcr , for the Lady is very well 
 worthy. 
 
 (^Itiudio You fpcakc this to fetch me in, my Lord. 
 
 Pedr j By my troth I fpcakc my thought. 
 
 Claudio And in faith ,my Lord, I (poke mine. 
 
 Bftted. And by my two faiths and troths, myLordc, I 
 fpokeminc. 
 
 Ciau. That I loue her, I fcelc* 
 
 Pedro Tlwt /he is worthy,! know. 
 
 Bend. That I neither fcelc how flie Hiould beloued , nor 
 know how fhc [hould be worthie, is the opinion that fire can 
 not melt out of me, I will die in it at the (lake. 
 
 Pedro Thou waft cucr an obftinatc herctique inthedc- 
 fpight of Beauty. 
 
 Clan. And ncucr could maintaine his part, but in the force 
 ofhiswil. 
 
 'Sefte. That a woman concerned mej thankc her : that (lie 
 brought me vp, I likcwifc gi uc her mofl humble thankesrbut 
 that I vvil) haue a rechate winded in my forehead, or hang my 
 bugle in an inuifible baldricke, all women (hall pardon mec : 
 becaufe T will not doe them the wrong to miftruft any, I will 
 doc my felfe the nglu to truft none : and the fine is , (for the 
 
 which 
 
about 
 
 which I rmy go the finer,) I will liue a bachtller. 
 
 Ptdri I (hall (ec thec ere I die, lookc pale with loue. 
 'Bcnc. With anger, withfickenelTe, or with hunger, my 
 Lord^iot with louc : prouc that cuer J loofemore blood with 
 louc then I will gctagainc with drinking, pickc out mine eic? 
 with a Ballad-makers penne,and hang me vp at the dooreof a 
 brothel houfe for the iigne of blindc Cupid. 
 
 Pedro W T cl!,if cucr thou doft fall from this faith, thou wilt 
 prooue a notable argument. 
 
 Bene. If I do, hang me in a bottfe like a Cat, and iLootc at 
 tne,and he that hits me, let him be clapt on the Moulder, and 
 calld Ad.im. 
 
 <l>edro Well,as time fhal tt ie:in time die fauage bull doth 
 benretheyoake. 
 
 Ben:. Thefaiugc bull may, but if etier the fenfible Bcne- 
 dickebcarc it, plu eke off the bulls homes, and fet them in my 
 forehead, and let me be vildly painted , and in fucii great let- 
 ters as they writejicrc is good horfcto hyre : let them (igni- 
 fie vnder my figne , here you may fee Benedickc the married 
 man. 
 
 Qaudio If this fhould cucr happen,thou wouldR be horn 
 maddc. 
 
 Pedro Nay, if Cupid hnue not fpcnt all his quiuer in Ve- 
 nicc,thou wilt o^iakc for this Ihortly. 
 
 Bcncd. I lookc for an earthquake too then. 
 Pedro Well, you will temporize with the howres , in die 
 rncane time, good lignior Benedfcke , rcpairc to Leonatoes, 
 commend me to him , and tell him 1 will not fade him at (up- 
 per, for indeede he hath made great preparation* 
 
 'Bcned. I hauc almoft matter enough in mce for fuche an 
 Embailagc, and fo I commit you. 
 
 C/M. To the tuition of God : from my houfc if I had it. 
 Tcdro Thefixtoi luly : your louing friend Eencdickc. 
 Bencd t Nay mockenot, mockcnot, the body of your di(^ 
 coui fe is fometimc guarded with fragments , and the guardes 
 are but (lightly bafled on neither, ere you flowt old ends sny 
 further, examine your confciencc,and (b I leaue you. c xtt 
 
 B 
 
 
10 
 Li 
 
 fiaudio My litge , your HighnefTe nowe may doc mee 
 good. 
 
 'T>edro My loue is thine to teach, tench it but how, 
 And thou fhalt fee how apt it is to learne 
 Any hard IdTbn that may do thce good. 
 Cfan. Hath Lconato any fonnc,my lord? 
 Pedro No childe but Hcro,(hcc& his onely heire: 
 Dooil thou affe<t her Claudio? 
 
 Ciawko Ornylord, 
 
 \Vhen you went onward on this ended aftion, 
 I Jookt vpon her with a fouldierseie, 
 That l)kt>but had a rougher taskein hand, 
 T han to driue liking to the namcof loue: 
 But now [ amreturnde,and that warre- thoughts, 
 Haue Jcfnhcir places vacantrin their roomcs, 
 Come thronging fo ft and delicate defires, 
 All prompting mec how fairc yong Hero is, 
 Saying f likt her ere I went to warrcs. 
 
 ' f PeJro T hou wilt be like a louerprefemly, 
 And tire die liearcr wirh a booke or words, 
 Jf thou dofl lout urc Hero, chcrifh it, 
 And I wil breakc with hir,and with her father, 
 And thou fhalt h.me her: waft not to thb end > 
 That thou beganft to twift (b fine a ftorie? 
 
 CLu. How fwcetly you do mimftcr to loue, 
 That know loues grierc by his complexion! 
 But led my liking might too fodaincfceme, 
 I would haue faludc it with a Ion ger treatife. 
 
 Tedro What need the bridge much broder then the flood? 
 The faired graunt is the ncceffitic: 
 Lookc whatwil ferueisfit:tisoncc,thouloueft> 
 And I wil fit thec with the remtdic, 
 1 know we jfhall hnucreuellmg to night, 
 I wil a (Fume thy part in fome difguifc, 
 And tell fiiirc Hero Tarn Cl.iudio, 
 And in hei bofomeilevnclafpe rny heart, 
 And take her hearing piifoner with the force 
 
 And 
 
 
II 
 
 about fhfotlriitg. 
 
 And frjongmcounter of my amorous talc: 
 
 Then after to her father will i breake, 
 
 And the conclafion is, (lie fhal be thine, 
 
 In praclife let vs put it prefcntly. exeunt. 
 
 ntcr Lconato and an old nutn brother to Leonxto 
 Leo. How now brothcr,whcrcis my cofen yourfbnne,hath 
 he prouided this muficjue? 
 
 Old He is ray bofie about it, but brother, I can tell you 
 (Grange ncwes that you yet drcamptnot of. 
 Leo. A re they good? 
 
 Old As the euents ftarapes thernjbut they haue a good co- 
 ucr : they fhew well outward, the prince and Count Claudio 
 walking in a thiclce pleached alley in mine orchard, were thus 
 much ouer- heard by a man of mine : the prince difcouered to 
 Claudio that he loued my niece your daughter , and meant fo 
 acknowledge it this night in a dauncc, and if he found herac- 
 cordjnt , he meant to take the prefcnt time by the top, and in- 
 fiantly breake with you of it. 
 
 Leo Hath the fellow any wit that told you this? 
 Old A good (harp fellow,! wil fend for him, and queftion 
 himyourfelfe. 
 
 Leo. No,no, we wil hold it as a dreame til it appeare it (elf: 
 but I will acquaint my daughter withal! , that (lie may bee the 
 better prepared for an ;m(wcT,ifpcraduenture this be true: go 
 you and tel hir ofiticoofrns, you know what you haueto doe, 
 O I crie you mcrcie friend } go you with me and I wil vfe your 
 shilhgood cofin hauea care this bufie time. exeunt. 
 
 Enter fir ,'ohnthc baftard^tid Conrade Ins companion. 
 Con. What the goodyeere my lord,why are you thus out of 
 meafure fad? 
 
 lohn There is no meafure in the occafion that breeds, ther- 
 fore the fa dneffe is without limit. 
 Ccn. You fliouldhearereafon. 
 
 John And when I haue hoard tt , vihat bleffing brings it? 
 fin If not a prefent remedy, at leaft a patient fofFcrartce. 
 Icbn I wonder that thou (being as thou faif^^thou art, borne 
 vnderSaturne) gocll about to apply a morall medicine, to a 
 
 B 1 mor- 
 
12 
 
 njortifyirtgnrTifcVikfc:! cannot hide what I am. -I rnufl be fad 
 when 1 haueoufe,andfmile2tno mans icftsjeatc when I hauc 
 ftomack,and wait for no mans leifurc: flecp when I am drow- 
 fk,and tend on no mans bufincflcjaugh w hen I am mery,nnd 
 claw no man in his humor. 
 
 Con. Yea but you muft not make the full fhow of this till 
 you may do it without controHment , you haue of late ftoode 
 out again ft your brother, and he hath tane you newly into his 
 grace, where it is trnpo/fible you fhould take true rooi,but by 
 the foirc weather that you make your felfyt is needful that you 
 tram e the feafon for your ownc harueft. 
 
 John I had rather bca canker in ahedgc, then a rofe in his 
 grace, and it better fits my bloud to be difdain'd of all, ihen to 
 falluon a cariage to rob louefromanyrin this (thogh I cannot 
 be (aid to be a ffatering honcfl man)it mufl not be denied but I 
 am a plain dealing villame,! am tnifted witli a muffehand en- 
 fraunchjfdc with aclogge, therforc I hauc detrced,not toflng 
 in my cage:if I had my mouth I would bitciif I had my liber- 
 ty I would do my likmgrin the mean timejet me be that lam, 
 and feckcnot to alter me, 
 Con. Can you make no v/c of your difcontent? 
 John \ make all vfc of it,for I vfc it only, 
 Who comes here?what ncwcs Borachio? 
 Enter TSorachio. 
 
 Bor. I came yonder from a great fupper , the prince your 
 brother is royally entertained by Lconato , and I can giue'you 
 intelligence of an intended manage. 
 
 lohn VVil it feme for any model to build mifchiefe on? what 
 is hefor a foole th.it bettothcs himfelfe to vnquietneiTcJ 
 
 Bor. Mary it is your bothers right hand. 
 
 lohn Whojthemoft excjuifite Claudio? 
 
 Ttor. Euen he. 
 
 lohn A proper fquier,and who^and who^vvhich way looks 
 he? 
 
 Bor. Mary one Hero the daughter and heire of Leonato. 
 
 John A very forward March-chicke, how came you to 
 this? 
 
 Tor. 
 
i:; 
 
 about Soothing. \\\\. 
 
 B cr Being entertained for a perfumer , as I was fmonking a 
 muftyroome, conies me the prince and Claudio, hand in 
 hand in fad conference:! whipt me behind the arras,and there- 
 heard it agreed vpon , that the prince fhould wooe Hero for 
 himfelfe , and hauing obtain'd her, giue her to Counte Ciau- 
 ciio. 
 
 lohn Come,comc,let vs thhher,this may proue food to my 
 difplcafure , that yong ftart vp hath all tlic glory of my oucr- 
 throwiif I can crofTc him any way,I blcfic my felfe euery way, 
 you are both ftire,and wi! affift me. 
 
 fonr. To the death my Lord. 
 
 John Let vs to the great fuppcr , their cheere is the greater 
 that I am fubduedjwould the cookc were a my mind, fhall we 
 go proue whats to be done? 
 
 Bor. Wcele wait vpon your lordfhip. exit 
 
 nter Leonatojuit brother,bU wife, Hero bis daughter 
 Beatrice hU neece t anda kinfman. 
 
 Lconxto Was not counte lohn here at (upper? 
 
 brother 1 faw him not. 
 
 Beatrice How tartely that gentleman lookes,! neuer can fee 
 him but I am heart- burn 'd an hower after. 
 
 Hero Heis of a very melancholy difpofition* 
 
 Beatrice He were an excellent man that were made iuft in 
 the mid-way between him and Benedick,the one is too like an 
 image and faies nothingtond the other too like my ladies cldeft 
 lonne, euermore tailing, 
 
 Leonato Thenhalfe ngnior Benedickes tongue in Counic 
 Johns mouth, and halfc Counte lohus melancholy in Signior 
 Benedickesfece. 
 
 'Beatrice With a good legge and a good foote vnckle , and 
 money inough in his purfe, uich a man would winne any wo* 
 man in the world ifa could get her good will, 
 
 By my troth neecc thou wiltneuergcttheea hu- 
 bandjif thou befb Hirewd of thy tongue. 
 brother Infaith fliecs too curft. 
 
 Too curft is more then curft , I /hall leflen 
 B 5 
 
5Vf ucbadoe 
 
 Gods fending that way, for it is faide, God fends a curft cow 
 fhort hornesjbuttoacowtoocurftjhefends none. 
 
 Leoruuo So, by being too cuift, God will fend you no 
 homes. 
 
 Beatrice lull, if/he fend me no husband/or the which blef- 
 fing \ am at him vponmy knees cucry morning and euening: 
 Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face,I 
 had rather he in the woollen! 
 
 LeoH.ito You may light on a husban d diat hath no beard. 
 Beatrice What Ihould 1 do with him, drcilc him in myap- 
 parell and make him my waiting gentlewoman? he that hath a 
 beard ,is more then a youth: and he that hath no beard, is lefle 
 then a man: and he that is more then a vouches not for me,and 
 lie that is lefle then a man, 1 am not for him, therefore I will 
 euen take fixpcnce in earned of thcBerrord, andleadchis 
 apes into hell. 
 
 Ltnoato Well then ,go }'ou into hell. 
 ^Beatrice No but to the <pf e, and there will the diuel! meete 
 mt like an old cuckold with homes on his head, and fay, get 
 you to hcaucn Bcatrice,getyou to hcauen, heeres no place for 
 yoinnaids,fo deliuer I vp my apes and away to faint rctenfbc 
 the heauens , he fhewes me where the Batchclkrs fit,and there 
 line we as intry as the day is long. 
 
 irother Well ncece, 1 trull you will be ruldc by your fa- 
 ther. 
 
 TScxtrice Yes faith, it is my cofens duetie to make curfic and 
 fay,fnher,as it pleafc yourbut yt- 1 for all that coiin,let him be a 
 handfomefelloWjOr elfe makcan other curfie, and (ay, father, 
 as it plea feme. 
 
 Ltonato Well neect'J hope to (ce you one day fitted with a 
 husband, 
 
 Tteatrice Nottil God make men of (ome other mcttal then 
 earth, would it notprieuea woman to beoucr-maderd with 
 a peece of valiant dulhto make an account of her life to a clod 
 ofwaiward marlc? no vnckle,ile none: Adams fonnes arc my 
 brethren , and trucly J holdc ita fmnc to match inmykm- 
 red. 
 
 LfOtMtO 
 
 
15 
 
 about 3\Q) thing. \\_ 
 
 _- Daughter,remember what I told you /if the prince 
 
 do fblicitc you in that kind,you know your anfwer. 
 
 'Beatrice The fault will be in the mufique cofm, if you be 
 rot wooed in good time: if the prince be too important, tell 
 him there is meafure in euery thing, and fo dauncc out the an* 
 fwer/or here me Hero, wooing, wedding, and repenting, is 
 as a Scotch ngge,a meafjre,and a cinquirpacer the fir ft fujte is 
 hot and hafry like a Scotch ijgge (and ful as fantafticall) the 
 wedding manes ly modcfl (as a meafure)r;ull of ftate and aun- 
 chcntry, and then comes Repentance, and with his bad legs 
 falls into the cinquepace fhfter and fader, til he fincke into his 
 graue. 
 
 Leonato Cofin you apprehend pa/ling (hrewdly. 
 
 Beatrice I haue a good cic vncklc , 1 can fee a church by 
 day-light 
 
 Leortato The reuclltrs are emring brother , make good 
 roome. 
 
 (?r dumb fokn. 
 
 Pedro Lady will you walke about with your friend? 
 
 Hero So,ycm walke foftiy, and looke fwcetly and fry no- 
 thing,! am yours for the vvalke, and efpecially when I walk a- 
 way. 
 
 Tcdro With me in your company. 
 
 Htro I may fay fb when I pleafe. 
 
 Pedro And when plcafe you to fay fo? 
 
 Hero W hen I like your fauour , for God defend the lute 
 fhould be like the cnfe. 
 
 Pedro My vifbr is Philemons roofe , within the houfe is 
 loue. 
 
 Hero Why then your vifor (liould bethatcjit 
 
 Pedro SfHMicc low if you fpeake louc. 
 
 r Bem\ Well,I would you did like rac f 
 
 Ulfar. So would not 1 for your owne fakc/or I haut ma- 
 fiy ill qualities* 
 Btnc. \VhichisoneJf 
 
 , I fay my praicrs alow A 
 
u; 
 
 * Iloueyou the better,the hearers triay cry Ameru 
 God match me with a good dauncer. 
 
 'Balth. Amen. 
 
 tJMarg. And God kcepe him out of my fight when the 
 daunce is done : anfwor Clarke. 
 
 No more words, the Clarke is anfwcred. 
 \ know you well enough, you arc fignior Antho* 
 nio. 
 
 sltttha. At a word I am not. 
 
 "Urful* I knowe you by the wagling of your head. 
 
 Ant ho. To tell you true^I counterfeit him. 
 
 J'rfulii You cou'ideneuer doe him fo ill well, vnlefTc you 
 were the very man : hcereshis drie hand vp and downs , you 
 artrhc,youarehe. 
 
 Ant ho. At a word, I am not. 
 
 ISrfHta Come^rom^do you thinke I do not know you by 
 your excellent witfcan vertuc hide it felfe?go to, mummc,you 
 are he, graces will appecrc,and theres an end. 
 
 Beat. Will you not tell me who tolde you fo? 
 
 Ewe A. No, you fhall pardon me. 
 
 *%W. Nor will you not tell me who you arc? 
 
 T^mJL Not now. 
 
 Beat. That I was difdainefull, and that I had rriy good wit 
 out of the hundred mery tales: wel, this was fignior Benedick 
 that faid fo. 
 
 Eencd. Whatshe? 
 
 I am fure you know him well enough. 
 Not Ijbeleeucnje, 
 
 Bvtf. Did he ncucr make you laugh? 
 
 B*W. I pray you what is he? 
 
 Btttf . W hy he is the princes ieaftcr,avery dul fool, only his 
 giftis/mdeuifingimpoflibleflaundcrs, none but Libertines 
 delight in him, and the commendation is not in Jus wit, but in 
 his vilianicjfor he both plcafes men and angers them^and then 
 they laugh at him,.ind beate him : I am furc he is inthcFlrete, 
 I would he had boordcd me. 
 
 Rene. When I know the Gentleman, lie tell him what you 
 fay, 
 
17 
 
 about 3\(othing. ILL 
 
 ft r*t. Do,do,hcelc but break a comparifon or two on me, 
 winch pcraductui e,(not markt,oi not laught at)(tf(kes him in- 
 to melancholy and then thcrcs a partnge winjr faucd , for the 
 foolc will cate no (upper that night : wee nmu follow the lea- 
 ders* 
 
 Bcne. Tn euery good thing. 
 
 Beat. Nay, if they leade to any ill, Iwillleauc them at the 
 next turning. Dartce exeunt 
 
 Ichn Sure my brother is amorous on Hero,and hath with- 
 drawneher father to breakc with him about it : the Ladies fo- 
 low her,3nd but one vifbr mnaines. 
 
 TJorachx* And that is Claudio , I knowc htm by his bear- 
 ing. 
 
 John Are not you fignior Benedicke? 
 
 flutt. You know me well, I am he. 
 
 lohn Signior,you are very neere my brotherin his louc,hc 
 is enamourd on Hero, I pray you difTwadc him from her, flic 
 is no equal! for his birth, you may doe the parte of an honeft 772 
 
 man in it. 
 
 CUndto How know you he Joues her? 
 
 lohn I heard him fwcarehis affection. 
 
 Borac. So did I too,and he fwore lice would marry her to 
 night. 
 
 John Come let vs to the banquet- exettnt: nutnet 
 
 Claud. Thusanfwer I in name of Benedicke, 
 But heare thefe ill newes with the eares of Claudio: 
 Tis ccrtatnefbjthc Prince wooes for himfelfe, 
 FriendOiip is confront in all other things, 
 Saue in the office and affaires of louc : 
 Therefore all hearts in loue vfe their owne tongues. 
 Let eucry cie negotiate for it fclfe, 
 And trufr no Agent : for Beauty is a witch, 
 Againfl whofe cfiannes,faitb mcltcth into blood: 
 T his i $ an accident of hourely proofe, (n&cke -us 
 
 Which I miftrufled not : ftrcwel thercforeHero.Ewr^r ^<wr- 
 
 Benedicke Count Claudio. 
 
 Claudia Yea,thefame. 
 
 C Bene. 
 
Bt*e. Comt/wil! you go with me? 
 
 CkuAo Whither? 
 
 'Bene. Euen to the next wHIow,about your owne 
 county : what fafhion will you wear e the garland of ? about 
 your m-ckc, like an Vfurers chaine?or vrider your arme, like a 
 Lieutenants fcArfTe? you mull weare it one way /or the prince 
 hath ot your Hero. 
 
 lauAw I wifh himioyofher. 
 
 Bened. Why thats fpokcn like an honeft Drouier , To they 
 fell bullockes : but did you thinke the Prince would taue fer- 
 uedoutlius? 
 
 1 pray you lesuc me. 
 
 ke Ho new you ftrike like the blindman, fwasthe 
 boy that dole your meate,and youle beate the poft 
 
 C/audio If it will not be 4 ile leaue you. exit 
 
 'Benedicke A las poore hurt foule^iow will hee creepe info 
 fcdges : but that my Ladie Beatrice fhould know me,and not 
 know mec: the princes foolelhah, it maybe ! goe vndcr that 
 title becaufe I am merry : yea but fo I am apte to dot- my felfe 
 wrong: T am notfo rcputedLft is the bafe(though bitter)difpo- 
 fition of Beatrice, thai puts the world into herperfon, andfo 
 giues me out; we!l,ile be reuenged as I may. 
 
 Ewer thf Prwe t HtTo,LtOH4to,lohnandftcrachi6 f 
 
 andfinrade. 
 
 Now Cgnio^wkeresthe County did you fee him? 
 Troth my lord , I haue played the part of Ladie 
 Fame, T found him heereas melancholy as a Lodge in a War- 
 ren, I toide him, andlthinke Jtoldc himtrue,that your grace 
 had got thegoodwil of thisyoong Lady .and 1 offrcd him my 
 company to a willow tree,eithcr to make him a gprland,as be- 
 ing forfaken,or to binde him vp a rod^as being worthie to bee 
 wfiipt. 
 
 PvAro To be whipt,whats his fault? 
 
 BeitfMe The flatte tranfgrc/Tion ofa Schoole-boy , who 
 being ouer-ioyed with findinga birds nc(Uhcwcs it his com. 
 pvmion,and he Heales it. 
 
 Pedro Wilt thou make a truft a tranfgrcfllortf the tranfgref- 
 
 ^ 
 
about 
 
 fion is in the dealer. 
 
 Bfncdtck? Yet it had not beene amifTe theroddehad beene 
 made, & the <*arland too, for the garland he might haue worn 
 himfelfe,and the rodde he might tiaue beftowed on you,who 
 (as I take it) haue (lolne his birds neft. 
 
 Pedro I wil but teach them to fing, and re/lore them to the 
 owner. 
 
 Tienedicke If their finging anfweryour faying , by my faith 
 you fay honeftly. 
 
 Pedro The ladie Beatrice hath a quarrcll to you.the Gen- 
 tleman that daunft with her, told her fhee is much wrongd by 
 you. 
 
 Ttened. O fh ee mifufde me pad the indurancc of a blocke: 
 an oake but with one greene leafe on it,would haue anfwered 
 hcr:my very vifor beganne to aflume life, and fcoid with her: 
 fhe tolde me,not thinking I had beene my felfc,that I was the 
 Princes iefter, that I was duller than a great thawe, huddleing 
 /efl vpon ieft, with fuch impoflible conueiance vpon me,that 
 I floodc like a man at a marke , with a whole army (hooting 
 at me: me fpeakes poynyards,and cuery word ftabbes : if her 
 breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no liu- 
 ing neereher,fhee would infeft to the north fhrre: I woulde 
 not marry her, though fhee were indowed with al that Adam 
 had left him before he tranfgrefr, fhe would haue made Her- 
 cules haue tumd fpit , yea, and haue cleft his club to make the 
 firctoo:come,talkenotofher,you fhall find hcrtheinfernall 
 Ate in good apparell, I would to God fomefcholler woulde 
 coniure her, for certainely, while fhe is heere, a man may Jiue 
 as quiet in hell,as in a (ancluarie, and people finne vpon pur- 
 pofc,becaufe they would goe thither , fo indeede all dilquiet, 
 horrour, and perturbation followesher. 
 nt er CLuudw and Bwtrtcf. 
 
 Teko Looke heere (he comes. 
 
 l&enedicke Will your grace command me any feruice to the 
 worldes end? I will go on theflighteft arrand now to the An- 
 typodes that you can deuife to (end mec on : I will fetch you a 
 tooth-picket now from thefimheft inch of Afia : bring you 
 
 C 2 the 
 
20 
 
 tSVfucb adoe 
 
 the length of Prefter Johns foot: fetch you a haire off the great 
 Chams beard : doe you any embaflage to the Pigmies, rather 
 than holde three words conference, with this harpy, you haue 
 no imployment for me * 
 
 Pedro None,but to defire your good company. 
 Ttenedicke O God fir, heercs a di(h 1 loue not, I cannot in- 
 durc my Ladic Tongue. exit. 
 
 Few Com* Lady , come, you haue lo ft the heart of figni 
 or Benedickc. 
 
 "Beatrice Indeed my Lord,he lent it me awhile, and I gaue 
 him v& for it, a double heart for his iingle one, mary once be- 
 fore he wonne it of me, with falfc dice , therefore your grace 
 nuy well fay I haue loft it. 
 
 ' Pedro You haue put him downe Lady,you haue puthim 
 downe. 
 
 'Beatrice So T would not he fhould do me, my Lord,lcft I 
 /hould proooe the mother of fooles : I haue brought Connie 
 CtaudiOjWhom you fent me to fecke. 
 
 Pedro Why how now Co ante, wherefore are you fad? 
 Clatidio Not fad my Lord. 
 Pedro How then? ficke? 
 Claud* Neither,my Lord, 
 
 Beainff The Countc is neither fad, nor Gcke,nor mcrry > 
 nor well : butciuil! Countc,ciuilas an orange, andfoinethmg 
 of that iealous complexion. 
 
 Pedro Ifaiih Lady, I think your blazon to be truc^though 
 ilc be fworne,if he be fo, his conceit is faife : hecre Claudio^ I 
 hace wooed in thy nnme,and fairc Hero is vvonJ haue broke 
 with her father, and his good will obtained , name the day of 
 marriage,and Godgiuethccioy. 
 
 Lconato Counte take of me my danghter,and with her my 
 fortunes: his grace hath made the match", and all grace fay A- 
 mcntoit. 
 
 7>i*trice Speake Counte, tis your Qu. 
 Claud** Silence is the perfeftcft HerauU of ioy,T were but 
 httle happy if I could fay,how much? Lady, as you are mine; 
 1 am yours, I giue away my fclfc for you, and doatc vpon the 
 exchange. " 
 
about 
 
 ?. Spealce cofin,or(if you cannot) flop his mouth with a 
 ksfTe,and let not him fpeake neither. 
 
 Tfdre Infaith lady you haue a merry heart. 
 
 'Btatr. Yea my lord I thanke it,poorc foole it keepes on the 
 windy fide of Care,my coofin tells him in his eare that he is in 
 her heart 
 
 CI<M. And fo fhe doth coofin. 
 
 "Seat. Good Lord for aliance : thus goes euery one to the 
 world but I,and I am fun-burnt,! may fit in a corner and crie, 
 heigh ho for a husband. 
 
 Pedro Lady Beatrice,! will get you one. 
 
 *BifAt. 1 would rather haue one ofyourfathers gettingrnath 
 vour grace neVe a brother like you ? your father got excellent 
 husbands if a maide coulde come by them. 
 
 Prmcf Will you haue mc?lady. 
 
 'Bsatr. No my lord, vnles I might haue another for work- 
 ing-daies , your grace is too coflly to weare eucry day : but I 
 befeech your grace pardon me, I was born to fpeake all mirth, 
 and no matter. 
 
 Prince Your filcnce mod offends me,and to be merry ,beft 
 becomes you , for out a queftion, you were borne in a merry 
 bower. 
 
 *%e#tr. No fcre my lord, my mother cried, but then there 
 was a ftarre daunil , and vnder that was 1 borne, cofins God 
 giue you ioy. 
 
 Leonato Heece , will you looke to thofe things I tolde you 
 of? 
 
 Seat I crie you mercy vncle, by your graces pardon. 
 
 cxstTieatrice. 
 
 Prfffcf By my troth a pleafantfpirited lady, 
 
 Leo*. Theres little of rf^e melancholy element in her my 
 3ord,0ie is neutr &d, but when Hie ficeps,& not euer fad then: 
 for I haue heard my daughter fay , flic hath often dreampt of 
 vnhappincs.and wakt her felfe with laughing. 
 
 3tafo She cannot tndurc to heare tell of a husband. 
 
 Lfonato O by no meanes,(he motkes al her wooers out of 
 fute. 
 
 C * Prince 
 
22 
 
 ILL 
 
 Trincc She were an excellent wife for Benedick. 
 Leonato O Lord, my lor ci.if they were but a weeke married, 
 they would talke themfelues madde, 
 
 Pnnce Countic Claudio , when meane you to goe to 
 church? 
 
 Ci'att. To morow my lord 3 Timc goes on crutches, til Loue 
 hauc all his rites. 
 
 Lfonato Not til monday, my deare fonne,which is hence a 
 iu ft feuennight,and a time too briefe too, to hauc al things an- 
 (wcrmy mind. 
 
 prince Come you ihake the head atfb long a breathing, 
 but I warrant thce Clauciio,thc time (hall not go dully by vs, I 
 wjl in the interim, vndcrtake one of Hercules labors,which is, 
 to bring Signior Benedick and the lady Beatrice into a moun^ 
 laine of afTcftion,th one with th'other, I would fame haue it a 
 match , and I doubt not but to famion it,if you three will but 
 miniflcr fuchaffifhnce as I fhall giue you direclion, 
 
 Leonato My lord, I am for you,though it coft nit ten nights 
 watchings. 
 
 Claud. And I my Lord, 
 Prince And you too gentle Hero? 
 Hero I wil do any modeft office,my lord,to help my cofin 
 to a good husband. 
 
 Trine* A nd Benedicke is not the vnhopefulleft husband 
 that I know: thus farre can Ipraife him,heisofa noble ftrain, 
 ofapprooued valour,and confirmdehonefty, I will teach you 
 how to humour your cofin, that fhc fhall fal in loue with Be- 
 ncdicke, and I,with your two helpes, wil fo praftifc on Bcne- 
 dicke , that in difpight of his quicke wit,and his queafie flo- 
 macke,hefhall fall in loue with Bcatriccnf we can do this, Cu- 
 pid is no longer an Archer, his glory fhall bee ours, for we are 
 the onely loue- gods., goe in with mce, and I will tell you my 
 drift. exit* 
 
 Sntvr lohnand ^orachio. 
 
 lob* It is fo,tlie Counte Claudio fhall marry the daughter 
 ofLeonafo. 
 Be. Yea my lord,but I can erode it 
 

 
 \bout 
 
 .i. 
 
 John Any barrc,nny croflc,any impediment, will be med- 
 cinabletome,! am fickeindifpleafureto him^nd whatlbcuer 
 comes athwart his afiFeftion , ranges euenly with mint , how 
 canft thou crolTe this man lage? 
 
 Bor. Not honeftly my iord,but fo couertly,that no di fho- 
 ncfly (hall appeare in me. 
 John Shew me bnefely how. 
 
 Bar. I thinke I told your lorddiip a yeere fince, how much 
 I am in the fauour of Margaret , tne waiting gentlewoman to 
 Hero. 
 
 Ichn I remember. 
 
 Bnr. I can at any vnfeafonable in Qant of the night, appoint 
 her to looke out at her ladies chamber window. 
 lohn What lift: is in that to be the death of this rnariagc? 
 Bor. The poifon of that lies in you to temper, goe you la 
 the prince your brother , fpare not to tell him , that he hath 
 wronged his honor in marrying the renowned Qaudio.whofe 
 eflimation do you mightily hold vp , to a contaminated (hie, 
 fuchaoneasHero 
 
 John Whatproofefhalllmakeofthat? 
 'Sof . Proore enough,to mifufe the prince, to vexe Gaudio, 
 to vndoe Hero , and kill Leonaio , looke you for any other 
 ifTue? 
 
 John Onely to difpight them I will endeuourany thing. 
 'Bor. Co thcn,find mea meet houre,to draw do Pedro and 
 theCounte Claudio alone, tell them that you know that Hero 
 loues me, intend a kind of zeale both to the prince & Claudio 
 (as in loue of your brothers honor who hath made this match) 
 and his friends reputation, who is thus like to beecofer^d with 
 thefeinblanceofamaid,thatyou hauedifcouer'dthusithey wi| 
 fcarcely beleeue this without triallioffer them inftanccs which 
 fhall beare no lefle likelihood , than to fee meat her chamber 
 vvindow^heare me call Margaret Hero,heare Marg.terme me 
 Claud 10, & bring them to fee this the very night before the irv- 
 tended wedding,for in the mean tinie,! wil fo rajThion the mat- 
 ter,that Hero fhal be abfent,and there (\\3\ appeere fuch (eem- 
 ing truth of Heroes difloyaltie > that iealoufie (hal be cald affii- 
 
 ranee 
 
24 
 ILJi. 
 
 ranee Kind a1 the preparation ouerthrowne. 
 52 fob* Grow this to what aduofeiflue it can, I will put it in 
 
 pra&ife : be cunning in the world ngthis,and thy fee h athou- 
 fand ducates. 
 
 Itor. Be you conftarit in the accusation, and my cunning 
 fhall not (hame me. 
 
 lohu I w ill prefently go learne their day of marriage, exit 
 
 Enter Ttenedicke done. 
 
 Bcne. Boy. 
 
 Tley Signior. 
 
 Bate. In my chamber window lies a booke, bring it hither 
 to me in the orchard. 
 
 *Boy . J am here already fir , exit . 
 
 *Benc. I know that,but I would haue thee hence and here a- 
 gaine . I do much wonder ,that one man feeing how much an 
 other man isafoole when he dedicates his behauiours to ioue, 
 wil after he hath laughtat fuch (hallow follies in others,becom 
 the argument ofhis owne fcorne, by falling in Ioue, and fuch a 
 man is Claudio, I haue knowne when there was no mufique 
 with him but the drumme and the fife, and now had he rather 
 h eare the taber and the pipe : Ihaueknownewhenhewould 
 haue walkt ten mile afoot, to fee a good armour, and now wii 
 he lie ten nightsawake earning the fafhion ofa new dubletrhc 
 20 was woont to fpeake plaine,and to the purpofc(likean honeft 
 t man and a fouldier)and now is heturnd ortography,his words 
 
 are a very fantallicall banouet , iuft fb many Orange difhes : 
 may Ibefoconuertedandfeewiththefeeies? I cannot tell, I 
 thinkenot:! wil not be fworne but Ioue may transfbrmemeto 
 f an oy fter, but ile take my oath on it,till he haue made and oy- 
 
 28 Her of me, he (hall neuer make me fuch a fbole: one woman is 
 
 faire, yet I am well , an other is wife, yet I am well : an other 
 vertuous,yet I am wel.-but till all graces be in one woman, one 
 woma fhal not com in my grace: rich fhc fhal bethats certain, 
 wife,or ile none ,vertuous,o rile neuer cheapen her:faire,orile 
 neuer looke on her,mild,or come not neare me, noble.or not I 
 for an angell, of good difcourfc,an excellent mufiuan^nd her 
 
 haire 
 
25 
 
 haire fhall be of vhat colour it pleafeGod .hahttne prir.ce and 
 monfieur Loue,I wil hide meinthearbou 
 
 ntcr prince, LeonMto^Claudto^A^uftcl^c. 
 
 Prmct Come fliall we heart this mufiquc? 
 
 Cland. Yea my good lord: how f til the cucning is, 
 As huflit on purpofc to grace harmonic! 
 
 prince See you where Benedicke hath hid himfelfe? 
 
 CUud. O very wel my lord: the mufique ended, 
 Wcele fit the kid-foxe with a penny worth. 
 
 Prince Come Balthafer,weele hearc that fong agaiae, 
 
 *B*ltb. O good my lord,taxe not fb had a voice, 
 To (launder muficke any more then once. 
 
 Trince Itisthewitneflertiliof t?xcc]Jencie, 
 To put a ftrange face on his owne perf e&ion, 
 I pray thee fing,and let me wooe no more. 
 
 JSalth. Becau(e you tal ke of wooing I will fing, 
 Since many a wooer doth commence nis futc, 52 
 
 To her he thinkes not worthy ,yet he wooes, 
 Yet will he fweare he loues* 
 
 Prince Nay pray thee come, 
 Or if thou wilt hold longer argument, 
 Do it in notes. 
 
 Tta/fh. Note this before my notes, 56 
 
 Theres not a note of mine thats worth the noting. 
 
 Prince Why thefe art very crotchets that he fpeake$> 
 Note notes forfoolh, and notliin^. 
 
 TSene. Now dmineaire, now is his foulerauifht, is it not ec 
 (lrang that flicepcs guts fhould hale foules out of mens bo* 
 dies? well a home for my mony when alls done. 
 
 The Son?. 
 
 Sigh no moreladies,figh no more, 
 Men were deceiucrs euer, 
 One foote in fea,and one on fhore> 
 To one thing conflant neuer, 
 Then figh not fo,bui let fhem go, 
 And be you blitharid bonnie, 
 
 D Con- 
 

 Concerting all your found cs ofwoe> 
 Jntotaynonynony. 
 
 Sing no more ditties, fingno moe, 
 Of dumps fo dull and hcauy, 
 T he fraud of men was euer fb, 
 Since fumtncr fir ft wasltauy, 
 Then 11 gh not (b,&c f 
 
 By my troth a good fong* 
 Bai'th* A nd a nill finger my lord* 
 Prtncv Ha, no no faith, thou fingft wel enough for a ft ift, 
 Be** And he had bin a dog that mould baue howld thus, 
 they would haue hangd him , and I pray God his bad voice 
 bode no mifcheefe, 1 had as liue haue heard she night- rauen, 
 come what plague could hauc come aft< r it. 
 
 Prince Yea mary> dooft thou iKarcBatthafar? I pray *hee 
 88 get vs feme excellent mufiquc;for to morow night vve would 
 haue it at the ladit Heroes chamber window. 
 The bcft I can m lord. 
 
 M Prince Do fo, fiirewtll. Come hither Leomto, what was 
 
 it you told mec of to day, that your niece Beatrice was in loue 
 with fignior Bcncdirke? 
 
 Cta. O I,ftalke on jHalk on,the foulc fits J d?d neua think 
 that lady would hnue Joucd any man. 
 
 Leo. No nor I ncither.but mo ft wondcrfuUhat Hie /TioulJ 
 fo dote on (ignior Benedicks, w.home Inc hath m ^11 outward 
 beliauiors fcemd eucr to abhorrt. 
 
 Be*e. \ {[ poflible? fits the wind in that corner? 
 
 Leo. By my troth my L ord, I canno? tell what to thinke of 
 h,but thnt /he foiies him witfi an inragcd affeftion^t is paft the 
 infinite of thought. 
 
 Prince May br (he doth but counterfeit. 
 
 Claud, Faith like enough. 
 
 Leon. O God! counterfeit? there was neuer counterlei? or 
 pafTioi^came fo neare the life of paflion as ihe difcouers it. 
 
 Pro** 
 

 about toothing. 
 
 Yrittce Why what effofh of pa/lion (hewe$/he! 
 Claud. Baite tht? hooke we!, this fifh will bite. 
 Leon. What effcfts my Lord? /he wil fuyou, you heat d my 
 daughter tell you hovv. 
 &*J. Shedidindeede. 
 
 Trince How .how I pray you!you amaze me, I would luue 
 thought her fjpuite had beenc inuincible again ft all allauits of 
 affcftion. 
 
 Lio. I would haue fwornit had,*ny lord,e(pecial)y againfl 
 Benedicke, 
 
 Bene. I ihould think this j gu11,but thatthe white bearded 
 fellow fpeakes it:knauery cannot fure hide himfelf in fuch re- 
 uerence. 
 
 fiau<L He haeh taneth'infcction,hold it vp, 
 Prince Hath fhee made her affe^ion knowne to Bene* 
 dickrf 
 
 Legato No> andfweares /heeneucr will, thats her tor- 
 ment. 
 
 Cfaudio Tis true indeed ,(b your daughter faies: fhall I^fiies 
 fhe,that hauefo oftencountred him withfcorne,wiiteto him 
 that I loue him? 
 
 Leo, This faies flie now when fhe is beginning to write to 
 him, for (heel be vp twenty times anight,and there will fhefi? 
 in her fmockt* til Hie haue writ a (heete of paper: my daughter 
 tdsvsall. 
 
 1*14. Now you talk of a fheet of paper ,1 remember a prety 
 ieft your daughter told of vs. 
 
 Leonato O when (he had writ it,and was reading it ouer^fhe 
 found Benedickeand Bea trie ebetwecne the rti^ete. 
 
 That, 
 
 O /he tore the letter into a thoufand halfpence, raild 
 at her (elf, that fhe fhould be fbimmodeft to write.to one that 
 /he knew would flout her, I meafurehim,Gie$ fhe,by my own 
 fpirit,ror I fhould flout him, if he writtorne,yeathoh I louc 
 hi ml fhould, 
 
 Cku* Then downe vpcn her knees fhe falls, weepes fobs, 
 beateshet heart, leares herhnire ( ,prjye5,curfesv OfwectBene- 
 
 dicke, 
 
28 
 
 g:ae me patience. 
 
 She doth indeed, my daughter foies fb. and the e*- 
 lafie hath fo much ou*rborne her , tnat my daughter is fbme- 
 time afeardiliee will doe a defperate out-rage to hcrrfclfc, iu s 
 very true. 
 
 Prince It were good that Benedicks knew of it by feme o- 
 ther,if (he will no; difcouer it, 
 
 faudio To what end. he would make but a fport of it,and 
 torment thepoore Lady worte. 
 
 Tnnce And he fhould,if were an almes to han* him,fheen 
 an excellent fwecte lady, and(out of all mfpition,) flie is vertu- 
 ous. 
 
 Clatt&o And fhe is exceeding wife. 
 ^Prince In euery thing but in iouing Benedicke. 
 Leontto O my Lord, wifedorae and biood combating in 
 fo tender a body, we haue ten proof cs to one,that bloud hath 
 the vi&ory, I am fory for her, as I. haue suffc cai/Ie, bec3g hey 
 vnde, and bergardian. 
 
 'Prtnn 1 1 would fhee had beflowed this dotnge on mce , I 
 would haue daft all other refpeft$,and made her haifc rr.y fclf: 
 i pray you tell Benedicke of it,and heare what u v/ili %. 
 JLe&n&o Were it good thinke you? 
 Clatedio Kero thinkes Jurcly rfie will d terror /li fayes /hee 
 will die, if he loue her not, and fhee will die we hee make ht/ 
 loue knowtie,and Hie will die if he wooe ho% rarher ihan flies 
 V/ail bate one br^a- h of her accuitomtd crofnefie. 
 
 "Prince She doth well, if iliec Ihoulde make render of her 
 loue.tis very poilsble hcclc fcorne it,for the rann(as you know 
 all) hath 2 contemptible fpirire. 
 
 H e is a vei y proper man. 
 He hath indeede a good outward hap pines. 
 Before God, and jn my inind, very wife. 
 Twee Hee dooth indeede (hew fome fparkts lhaf a e like 
 wit. 
 
 Cb.mfa Anal tak e him to be valiant, 
 Pr'mce A s H eftor , I afTure you, and In the nianjiagir.g of 
 quarrels you may fay he is wife , fb? euhei hfc aiioydcs them 
 
29 
 
 about 
 
 II. tii 
 
 With great di/crction,or vndertakes them with a moft chrifl j - f- 
 
 anlikc feare. 
 
 I^onxto If he do fcare God,a mu ft ncceiTarily keep peace, 
 if hee brcake the peace, hee ought to enter into a quarrel with 
 feare and trembling. 
 
 'princt A nd fo will hee doe, for the man doth fcare God, 
 howfoeuer it fe ernes not in him , by fbroc large ieftes hee w^J 
 make : well I am i'brv for your niece, fhaH we o feeke Bene- 
 dickc,nnd tell him ofher loue? 
 
 CJriHiko Neuer tell him,my Lord, let her wcart it out with 
 good count ell. 
 
 Lconato Nay thats impoflible, tliee may weare her heart 
 outiirfh 
 
 TViwf Well, we will heare further ofit by your daughter) 
 letit coole the while, I ioue Benedicke wel.and I could wiih 
 he would iiTodefrly examine hunfclfc, to fee how much he is 
 vn worthy fb good a lady. 
 
 Leonato My Jord,wifl you walke ? dinner is ready* 
 Citudio If he do net doatc on her vppon this, 1 will ruuer 
 truft my expectation 
 
 Trince Let there be the fame nette fpread for her^nd that 
 snuft your daughter and her gentlewomen carry : the fporte 
 tyill be, when cney holdc one an opinion of an others dotage, 
 and no fuch matter , thats the fcene that I woulde fee , which 
 wil be mcerely a ditaibc &cw : let vs lend htr !o call him an to 
 dinner. 
 
 Btne&ck? This can be no trkkcj the conference was fadty 
 boinc, they haue the trueth of this from Hero, they feemc to 
 pituethe Lady : kfeemcs her affcAioas hauetHeirfiill bent t 
 !cue nne?why it mull be requited: J hearc how I am cenfurdc, 
 they fay I will bcare my fdfc prowdly , if I percehie ihe loue 
 conic from her : they (ay too,that (he will rather die fhangiuc 
 anjc(5gnc of affection : I did nwer thmkc to rnarry, I muft 
 not feenc prowrf,happy sre they that heart- their dt trali&ns, 
 and am put them to roending : tht>' fay the Lady is faii', ns a 
 tnifth, I can bcare them wiineflc : and vertuous, ?h fcs 1 can- 
 not rcprooucitj and v^ife^ but &r louing me, by my troih it is 
 
 D 5 no 
 
.so 
 
 no adciitionto her wit, nor no great argument of her follie/or 
 I will be horribly in loue with her, I may chaunce haue fome 
 odde quirkcs and remnants of witte broken on me, becaufe I 
 haue railed fo long again (1 marriage : but doth not the appe- 
 tite alter-? a man loucs the mcate in his youtluhat he cannot m- 
 dure in his age . Shall quippes and frntences,and ihefe paper 
 bullets of the brain awe a man from the carreere of his humor? 
 No,the world mult be peopled . When 1 faidel vvouldediea 
 batcheller,! did not think I ihculd liue til I were married, here 
 comes Beatrice: by this day >fhees afaire lady, 1 doe fpie fome 
 markes of loue in her. 
 
 Enter }$eatrict. 
 
 Eeatr* Aganft my will 1 am fent to bid you come in to din- 
 ner. 
 
 Bene. Faire Beatrice,! thanke you for your paines. 
 
 'Beat. ] tooke no more paines forthofe thankes , then you 
 take paines to thanke mc,ifit had bin painful I would noi haue 
 come. 
 
 7?ene. You take pleafure then in the meiTage. 
 
 Beat. Yeaiuftfomuchasyou may take vppon a kniucs 
 point,and choake a daw withallryou haue no ftomach flgnior, 
 rave you we 11, exit. 
 
 Tlene. Ha, againfl my will I am fent to bid you come in to 
 dinnerithcres a double meaning in that: 1 took no more paines 
 for thofe thanks the you took pains to thank me, thats as much 
 as to fay>any pains that I take for you is as eafy as thanks: if 1 do 
 noc take pitty of her I am a vilJaine, if I do not loue her I am a 
 Iew,I will go get her picture, exit. 
 
 Enter Hero and two Gcr,iltiwomenfJ\'lArgArct..And f Urfey> 
 Hero Good Margaret runne thee to the parlour, 
 There (halt thou find my cofm Beatrice, 
 Propofing with the prince and Claudio, 
 Whifper her eareand tell her I and Vrflcy, 
 Walkein the orchard ,and our whole difcourfe 
 I s all of her, fay that thou ouci - heardft vs, 
 
 And bid her fleale "into the pleached bowere 
 
 Where hony-futkles ripened by die funne, 
 
 Forbid 
 
a 
 
 Forbid the funne to enterrlike fauourites, 
 
 Made proud by princes, that aduaunce their pride, 
 
 Again ft that power that bred it,there will foe hide her, 
 
 To liften our propofe,*his is thy office, 
 
 Beare thce well in it,and leaue vs alone. 
 
 (Jl&rf. lie make her come f warrant you prefently. 
 He*o Now Vrfula,when Beatrice doth comr, 
 As we do trace this alley vp and dovvne, 
 Our t jlke mud cnely be of Benedicke, 
 When I do name him let it be thy part, 
 To praife him more than euer man did merite, 
 My talke to thee muft be how Bencdicke, 
 Isfickeinlouewith Bcatriceiohhis matter, 
 Is little Cupids crafty arrow made, 
 That onely wounds by heare-fay:now begin, 
 For looke where Beatrice like a Lapwing runs 
 Clofe by the ground, to heare our conference. 
 
 Enter Beatrice. 
 
 'Urful* The pleafantfl angling is to fee the fifh 
 Cut with her golden ores the filuer ilreame, 
 And greedily deuoure the treacherous baite: 
 So angle we for Beatrice, who euen now, 
 Is couched in the wood- bine couerture, 
 Feare you not my part of the dialogue. 
 
 Hero Then go we nearc her that her eare loofe nothing, 
 Of the falfe fweete baite that welay for it: 
 No truly Vi fula,fhe is too clifdainfull, 
 I know her fpirits are as coy and wild. 
 As haggerds oftherocke. 
 
 VrfitU Butarcyoufure, 
 That Benedicke loues Beatrice Co intirely? 
 
 Hero So faies the prince,and my new trothed Lord. 
 Urjula And did they bid you tel her of iuiiadame? 
 Hero They did intreate me to acquaint her of it, 
 But I peifwadcd them,if they louYie Benedicke, 
 To wifh him wrafUe with afFeftion, 
 And neucr to let Beatiiccknow of it 
 
32 
 
 Vrfula Why did you fo,dooth not the gentleman 
 "Deferueasfuliaj formnatr a bed, 
 As cvier Beatrice (hall couch vpon? 
 
 Hero O God of fouel I know he doth deferue, 
 As much as may be yielded to a man: 
 But nature neuerframde a womans hart, 
 Of prowder Ruffe then that of Beatrice: 
 Difdameand Scorne ride fparklingin her cies, 
 Mifprifing what they Icoke on,and her wit 
 Vnlewes it fclfefo highly, that to her 
 All matter c!s feemes vveakerfne cannot loue, 
 Nor take no fliape not proieft of affeclion, 
 She is fo felre inaeared, 
 
 Vrf*I* Surelthinkefo, 
 And thereforecertainely it were not good, 
 She knew his loue left (lieelc make fport at it* 
 
 Hero Why you fpeake truth,! neuer yet (aw marii 
 How wife % how noble,yong,Jiow rarely featured* 
 Dutflie would (pel him backward: iffaire faced, 
 She would fvvearc the gentleman fhould be her fifler : 
 If blscke, why Nature drawing of an antique, 
 Made a foule blot: if tal!, a latince ill headed: 
 Tflo\v,an agot very vildly cut: 
 If (peaking, why a vane blownc with all winds: 
 1 f hlent, why a Wocke moued with none: 
 So turnes fhe euer} r rrwn the wrong fide out, 
 A nd ncuer giues to Truth and Vertue, that 
 Which fimplcnefTe and merite purchaftlh. 
 
 Vrfuta Surejfure/uch carping is not commendable. 
 
 Hero No not to be fo odde,and from all fashions, 
 A $ Beatrice is .cannot be commendable, 
 But who dare tell her fo'if I fhould fpenkt, 
 She would mocke meinto a)Te>O fine would bugh me 
 Outofmy^elfe,prelTemt?to death with \vitj 
 Therefore let Benedickclike coue/d fire, 
 Confume a way in fighes,\vafte inwardly: 
 1 i were a belter deatlvi^cn die with mocke*, 
 
 Which 
 
33 
 
 lll.i. 
 
 Which is as bad as die with tickling. 
 
 /r/Wrf Yet tel her of it,heare what (lie wil (ay. 
 
 Hero No rather I will go to Benedicke, 
 And counfaile him to fight agamd his paflio; \, 
 And truly ilc dcuife fome honed [launders, 
 To dame my cofin with,onc doth not know, 
 How much an ill word may impoifon liking* 
 
 yrfala O do not do yourcofin fucha wrong, 
 She cannot be fo much without true iudgement, 
 Hauingfo fwift and excellent a wit, 
 As (he is prifde to haue .as to refute 90 
 
 So rare a gentleman as fignior Benedicke. 
 
 Hero He is the onely man of Italy, 
 Alwaies cxccpted my deare Claudio 
 
 VrfnU I pray you be not angry with me,madame, 
 Speaking my fancy: fignior Benedicke, 
 For fliapcjfor bearing argument and valour, 
 Goes formed in report through Italy, 
 
 Hero Indeed he hath an excellent good name, og 
 
 1'rfnU His excellence did eai ne it, ere he had it: 
 When are you married madame? 
 
 Hero Why euery day to morrow,come go in, 
 He (hew thee fome attyres,and hauc thy counfaile, 
 Which is the bed to furnifh me to morrow. 
 
 VrfaU Shees limed I warrant you, 
 We haue caught her madame. 
 
 Here- If it proue fo,thcn loui ng goes by haps, 
 Some Cupid kills with arrowes fome with traps. we 
 
 Tleat. What fire is in mine eares?can this be true? 
 Stand I condemn'd for pride and fcorne fo much? 
 Contcmpt,farewel,and maiden pride,adew, 
 No glory liucs behind the backe offuch. 
 And Benedicke, !oie on I will requite thee, 
 Taming my wild heart to thy louing hand: 
 Ifthoudod!oue,my kindneile rhalTincitethee 
 To bind our loues vp in a holy band. //* 
 
 For others fay thou dod defcruc,and I 
 
 Beleeue 
 
B e! eeue it better then reportmgly. 
 
 ULiJ. Enter { Prttt(e t }a#tb0 ) r B(Xffdic!ee > 4v<;t Leonato. 
 
 *Trixte 1 doe but (by til your manage be confuffimait,and 
 then go I toward Arragon. 
 
 CUw&. JJc bring you thither my lord , ifyeule vouchfafe 
 me, 
 
 Prince Nay that would be as great a fbvle i n the new glofle 
 of your marriage , as fo (hew a child his new coste and forbid 
 him to wcareit,! wiionlyhe bold with Benedick for his com- 
 pany , for from the crowne of his head,to the folc of his foot, 
 he is a! mirth, he hath twice or thrice cut Cupides bow- firing, 
 and the little hang-man dare not Hioot at him, he hath a heart 
 as found as a bell , and his tongue is the clapper, for what his 
 heart tbinkes,his tongue tpcakes. 
 
 Bcnc. GaliantSjI am not as I haue bin. 
 
 Lee. So fay I,me thinkes you are faddcr. 
 
 bw. I hope he be in ioue . 
 
 Prince Hang him truant , theres no true drop of bloud in 
 him to be truly toucht with ioue, if he be faddc^he vvantes mo- 
 ney. 
 
 *Bene. I haae the tooth-nch. 
 
 Prince Draw it. 
 
 7le#e. Hang it. 
 
 CUti. You mu ft hang it fir ft , and d raw it afterward s. 
 
 Prints What?figh for the tooth -ach, 
 
 Leon. Where is but a humour or a vrorme. 
 
 'Sent. Wel> euery one cannot matter a griefe , but lie that 
 has it. 
 
 C/<*tt. Yet fay J ,hc is i n lou e. 
 
 Prince There is no appccrance of fancie in him , vnlefle it 
 be ;i fancy that he hath to fl range difguifcs, as tobeaDutch- 
 nuin to day, a French- man to morrow, or in the Hiapeof twa 
 countucsatonce, asaGermainefromthe wade downward, 
 all flops, and a Spaniai d from the hip vpvvard, no dublct: vn - 
 Jcfle he haue a fancie to this foolery , as it appeares lie hath, 
 he is no foole for fancy > as you would haue it appcare he 
 
about Soothing, m 
 
 t*H. Tfhebenotinlouewhfomewoman,there!$no be- 
 leeuing old fignes, a brulhes his hat a mornings, what fhould 
 that bode? 
 
 Prince Hath any man (eene him at the Barbers? 
 C/au. No,but the barbers man hath bin fcene with him, 
 and the oldc ornament of his checke hath already ChuTt tennis 
 balls. 
 
 Leon. Indeed he lookes yonger than he did,by the lofle of 
 a beard. 
 
 Prince Nay a rubshimfelfewithciuit, can you faiell him 
 out by that? 
 
 CltttcL. Thats as much as to fay , the fvveete youthe's in 
 loue. 
 
 Ttrnt. The greatcft note of it is his melancholy. 
 
 laud. And when washewoomto wafh his face? 
 
 Pnnce Yea or to paint himfelfe? for the which 1 heare what 
 they fay of him. 
 
 Q**cL Nay but his iefting fpirit,which is now crept into a 
 lute- fthng,and now gouerndby flops. 
 
 Prince Indeed that tells a heauy tale for him:condudc,con> 
 cludc,he bin loue. 
 
 'l*nd. Nay but I know who loues him. 
 
 Prince That would I know too, I warrant one that knows 
 him not. 
 
 Claud. Yes, and his ill conditions, and in difpight of al, dies 
 for him. 
 
 Prince She (hall be buried with her face vpwards. 
 
 Rene. Yet is this no charmcforthe tooth-ake,old fignior, 
 walke afide with me,I haue fludied eight or nine wife wordes 
 tofpeaketoyou,which thefc hobby-horfesmuftnot heare. 
 
 'Prince For my life to breake with him about Beatrice. 
 
 CUud.. Tiseucnfo, Hero and Margaret haue by this play- 
 ed their parts with Beatrice , and then the two bearcs will not 
 bite one another when they meete. 
 
 Pttter hhn the Tljfiard. 
 
 B^flard My lord and brother,God faue you. 
 Good den brother. 
 
 E 1 
 
adoe 
 
 If your leifure fcru'd,! would fpeake with you. 
 Prince Inpriuate? 
 Baftard If itpleafe you, yet Count C laudio may heare, for 
 what I would fpcake of,concernes him. 
 Pnnce W hats the matter? 
 
 'Bast. JV1 canes your Lordfhip to be married to morrow ? 
 'Prince You know he does. 
 
 j&#. J know not that when he knovves what I know, 
 C/W. If there be any impediment, I pray you difcouer it, 
 Sail. You may think I loue you not,1et that appeare here- 
 after , and ayme better at me by that I now will manifcfl: , for 
 my brother(l thinke,he holdesyou well, and in deartneflcof 
 heart) hath holpe to effect your enfuing manageifurely fute ill 
 (pent, and labor ill bcftowed. 
 Prince Why whats the matter? 
 
 Tiaft* I came hither to tel you and circumfrances fhortned, 
 (for (lie has bin too long a talking of) the lady is difloyall. 
 flax. Who Hero? 
 
 Baftar. Euen /hcjLeonatocsHerOjVourHero^cucry mans 
 Hera 
 
 Clu. Difloyall? 
 
 I?*/}. The word is too good to paint out her wickednefle, I 
 could fay me were worfe,thinke you of a worfe title, and I wil 
 fit her to it : wonder not till further warrant : go but with me 
 to night you fhall fee her chamber window entred, euenthe 
 night before her wedding day, if you loue her, then to morow 
 wed her: But it would better fitte your honour to change your 
 mind. 
 
 Claud. May this be fo? 
 f Pnnce I wilnot thinkeif, 
 
 Jiaft. If you dare not truft that you fee , confefTe not that 
 you knovve : if you will follow mee, I will {hew you enough , 
 and when you haue feenc more^and heard more,procecde ac- 
 cordingly. 
 
 Clwdio If I fee anie thing to night,why 1 mould not mar- 
 ry her to morrow in the congregation^ where 1 iliould wed, 
 there will I fhame her. 
 
 Prince 
 
37 
 
 About toothing. 
 
 I'rittce And as I wooed for thee to obtaine her,I vvil ioync 
 with thee,to difgraceher. 
 
 'Bftflard I will difparage her no farther, till you .ire my wit- 
 neffesjbeareitcoldely but till midnight, and Itttheifliie fhcw 
 itfelfe. 
 
 Pnncc O day vntowardly turned! 
 
 dated. O mifchiefe fhangely thwarting! 
 
 Tiaftard O plague right well preuented ! fb will you fay, 
 when you hauc fccnc thefequcle. 
 
 Enter Ttogbcry and bis compartner with the W<itcb. 
 
 Wag. Arc you good men and true? 
 
 Verges Yea, or elfe it were pitty but they fhould fufferfal- 
 uation body andfoule. 
 
 Dog. Nuy,that were a punifhment too good for them , if 
 they iliould hauc any allegcance in thcm ; bcing chofen for the 
 Princes watch. 
 
 Verges Well, glue them their charge , neighbour Dog- 
 bery. 
 
 <Dotrl>erj Firfl , who lliinke you themoil defartlefTe man 
 tobeConftable? 
 
 Watch I Hugh Ote-cakeiir,or George Sea-cole,for they 
 can write and rcade. 
 
 ^ogbery Come hither neighbor Sea-cole.God hath blefl 
 you with a good name: to be a vvelfauoured man,is the gift of 
 Fortune , but to write and reade,comes by nature. 
 
 Watch i Both which maiiterConftable. 
 
 1)ogbery Youhauc: I knew it would be yourarrfvvenwel, 
 for your fauour fir, why giue God thanks, and make no boafr. 
 of it, and for your writing and reading , letthat appeere when 
 there is no neede of fuch vanity, you are thought heereto be 
 the mod fcnilelTe and fit man for the Confrable of the watch: 
 therefore beare you the Janthorne : this is your charge , You 
 /hall comprehend all vagrom men , you are to bidde any man 
 fraud, in the Princes name. 
 
 Watch 2 How if a will not (land? 
 *Dogbery Why then take no note of him , but let him goe, 
 
 E 3 and 
 
38 
 
 m. m. s5\4 uch a doe 
 
 and prefentl/cafl the reft of the watch together , and thanke 
 god you are viddc of a knaue* 
 
 Verges I f he wil not Hand when he is bidden,he is cone of 
 the Princes fiibiefts. 
 
 Dogfary True, and they are to meddle with none but the 
 Princes fttbiecls : youfhallalfbmakenonoifeinthcfrrcetcs: 
 for, for the watch to babble and to talke,is mod tollerable.and 
 nottobeinctured. 
 
 Watch We will rather flecpe than tatke,we know what be- 
 longs to a watch. 
 
 Do^ery Why you fpeakc like an antient and mod quiet 
 watchman, for I cannot fee how flceping ftould offend:one- 
 ]y haue a care that your billes bee not ftolne : well, you are to 
 cal at al the alchoufes,and bid thofc that arc drunke get them to 
 
 Watch How if they will not? 
 
 Itogkery W hy then let them alone til they are fobcr,if they 
 make you not then the better anfwerjou may (ay,they are not 
 the men you tooke them for. 
 
 Watch Well fir. 
 
 Dogbery If you meete a thicfe , you may fufpccl him, by 
 ver cue of your office, to be no true man : and for (iich kind of 
 men , the lefTc you meddle or make wkh them , why the more 
 isfbryourbonefty. 
 
 W*tch If we know him to bea thicfe,mal we not lay hands 
 on him? 
 
 Ttogbery Truely by your office you may,but I thinke they 
 that touch pitch will be dcfildc : the mod peaceable way for 
 you,if you doe take a thicfe, is, to Jet him (hew himfclfc what 
 ne is, and fteale out of your companie. 
 
 Verges You hauc beene alwayes called a merciful! marine, 
 partner. 
 
 7>. Truely I would not hang a dogge by my will, much 
 more a man who hath anie honcftie in him. 
 
 Verges If you hcarc a child crie in the night you mud call to 
 thenurfe and bid her flilit 
 
 Watch How if the nurfe beafleepeand will nothearevs. 
 
39 
 
 about ^(otbtng. HUH. 
 
 . Why then depart in peace,and let the child wake her 
 Vrith crying , for the ewe that will not hearc her Jamb when it 
 bae$,will newer anfwer a calfe when he bleatcs. 
 Verges Tis very true 
 
 2>*. This is the end of the charge : you conftable are to 
 prefcnt the princes owneperfon,ifyou mectc the prince in the 
 night,you may ttay him, 
 
 Verge* Nay birlady that I thinke a cannot. 
 frog. Fiuc (hillings to one on't with any man that knowcs 
 theffotutes,he may (lay him, mary not without the prince be 
 willingftfbr indeed the watch ought to offend no man, and it is 
 an offence to (lay a managaintt his will. 
 Vergei Birlady I thinke it be fo. 
 
 Dog. Ha ah ha , wel matters good night, and there be any 
 matter of weight chaunces , cal vp me , keepe your fellowes 
 counfailes > and your ownc, and good night , come neigh- 
 bour. 
 
 Watch Well matters, we heare our charge, let vs goc fitte 
 here vppon the church bench till twoo , and then all to 
 bed. 
 
 Dog. One word more,honett neighbors,! pray you watch 
 about fignior Leonatoes doore,for the wedding being there to 
 morrow, there is a great coyle to night,adicvv ,be visitant I be- 
 leech you* exeunt. 
 
 Enter Tlsrachio 4tulConrxde 
 Bor. WhatConrade? 
 Watch Peace, ttir not. 
 Bar. Conrade 1 fay. 
 Con. Here man,l am at thy elbow. 
 Bor. Masandmyclbowitcht, I thought there would a 
 icabbe follow, 
 
 Con. I will owe thee an anfvvcr for that, and now forward 
 with thy tale. 
 
 Bor Stand thee clofe then vndcr this penthoufe , for it 
 driflells raine , and 1 will, like a true diunckard , vttcr all to 
 thee. 
 
 Some trcafen maflers,yet (land dofe. 
 
 Bor* 
 
CAducbadoe 
 
 Bor. Therefore know,I hauc earned of Dua lohn a thou- 
 md ducates. 
 
 Con. Is it pofllble that any villanic fhould be fo deare? 
 'Bor. Thou mould ft rather aske it it were po/Tible any vil- 
 lanie fliuld befb rich?for when ricli villains hauc need of poor 
 ones, poore ones may make what price they will. 
 
 Con. J wonder at it. 
 
 Bor. Thatfliewes thou art vnconfirm'd, thou knoweft 
 that the fafhion of a dublet,or a hat.ora cloakc, is nothing to a 
 man, 
 
 Con. Yesitisapparell. 
 
 Bor. I meane the fafhion, 
 
 Con. Yesthefafhion isthcfaOiicn. 
 
 Bor. Tufl-),l may as well fay the f bole's the foole, but feefl 
 thou not what a deformed theefe this fafhion is? 
 
 Watch I know that deformed , a has bin a vile theefe, this 
 vij.yecre,a goes vp and downelike a gentle man : ] remember 
 his name. 
 
 . Didfl thou not hearcfbmc body? 
 . No, t was the vane on the houfe. 
 
 Bor.Secil thou not(I fay) what a deformed thiefctliis fafhi- 
 on is,how giddily a turnes about all the Hot-biouds, between 
 foureteene and iiue and thirtic,fometimes fafliioningthem 
 like Pharaoesfouldiours in therechiepainting,fometime like 
 god Bels pnefts in the old church window, loinetime like the 
 fhauen Hercules in the fmircht worm-eaten tapetlry , where 
 his cod-pcece (ecmcs as ma(fie as his club. 
 
 Con. Al this I fecund I <ee that the fafhion weares out more 
 apparrell then the man - but art not thou thy felfe giddy with 
 the fafhion too .that thou haft fhifted out of thy tale into telling 
 me of the fafhion? 
 
 'Bor. Not fo neither, but know that I haue to night wooed 
 Margaret the Lady Heroes gentle-woman , by the name of 
 Hero, Hie leanes me out at her miflris chamber window, bids 
 rnea thoufand times good night:! tell this tale vildly,! (hould 
 firfl tel thee how the prince Claudio and my mailer planted, 
 and placed.and pofleited^y my mafter Don lohn/aw a farre 
 
 oflF 
 
about 3\ot king. 
 
 ofFin the orchard this amiable incountcr. 
 
 Conr. And thought they Margaret was Hero? 
 Ttdr. Two oflhcm did,thc prince and Claudio, but the di- 
 uel my matter knew (he was Margaret. and partly byhisoths. 
 which fu d poflcft them , partly by the darkc night which did 
 deceiuethem > !)Ut chiefely,by my villany, which did confirme 
 any fiander that Don John hadmade,away went Claudio en- 
 ragde, fworc he would meet her as he was .ipointcd next mor- 
 ning at the Temple, and there, before the whole congregation 
 fhameher, with whathefawo re night, and fend her home a- 
 gaine without a husband. 
 
 Watch I We charge you in the princes name (land. 
 
 Watch 1 Call vppc the right mailler Conflable, wee haue 
 here recoucrd the mod dangerous pcece of lechery, that euer 
 wasknownein the common wealth. 
 
 Watch I And one Deformed is one ofthemj know hirn,a 
 wearesalockc. 
 
 Watch i Youle be made bring deformed forth I warrant 
 yon- 
 
 onr Matters; neucrfpeake,we charge you,let vs obey you 
 logo with vs. 
 
 Tier. Wcareliketoproueagoodlycommoditic, being ta- 
 ken vp of thefe mcns billes. 
 
 Co nr. A commodity in cjuedion I warrant you,come weele 
 obey you. exeunt. 
 
 Enter Hero y at*d tJMargiirct,and Vrfula. lll.i\'. 
 
 Hero Good Vrfula wake my cofin BeatricCjand defire her . 
 to rife. 
 
 Vrfu/a Iwillady. 
 
 Hero And bid her come hither. 
 
 Vrf*/a Well. 
 
 ^Marg. Troth T thinke your other rcbato were better. 
 
 Hero No pray thee good Meg, ile weare this. 
 
 Marg. By my troth s not fb good, and I warrant your cofin 
 will fay fo. 
 
 Hero Mycofin'safoole^nd thou art another, ile weare 
 
 F none 
 
nonebutthis. 
 
 Mar I like the new tire within excelently,if thehaire were a 
 thought browner: and your gown's a inoft rare fafhion yfaith, 
 1 (aw the Dutchefle of Millaincs gownt that they praife Co. 
 
 Hero O that exceedcs they fay. 
 
 Marg. By my troth s but a night-gown it rcfpe& of yours, 
 cloth a gold and cuts , and lac'd with filuer, fet with pearlcs, 
 downe fleeties,(ide fleeues.and skirts^ound vnderborne with 
 a blcwifh tinfell, but for a fine queint graceful and excelem fa- 
 Oiion,yours is worth tenon't* 
 
 Hero God giue me ioy to weare tt, for my heart is exceed- 
 ing hcauy. 
 
 Cbfarg. T'will be heauier foone by the weight of a 
 man. 
 
 Hero Fievponthee,artnotafiiamed? 
 
 Mtirg. Of what lady?of (peaking honourably?is not marri- 
 age honourable in a beggar ? is not your Lord honourable 
 without manage?! thin ke you would haue me fay ,fauing your 
 reucrence a husband : & bad thinking do not wreft true fpea- 
 Vm;,ileorTend no body, is there any harm in the heauier, fora 
 husband? none I thinke, and it be the right husband,and the 
 right wife,otherwife tis light and not heauy^aske my lady Bea- 
 trice eb^here flie comes. 
 
 fitter Beatrice. 
 
 Hero Good morrow coze. 
 
 Beat. Good morrow fweete Hero. 
 
 Hero Why how no w?do you (peake rn the ffcke tune? 
 . *Bfat. Jam out of all other tune.me thinkes. 
 
 "Mar Clap's into Li^ht a loue/ v that goes without a burden,) 
 do you (ing it.and ile daunce it. 
 
 'Bear. Ye L ightalouc with your heels,tfien if your husband 
 hauc (Tables enough youlcfce he fhall lacke no barnes. 
 
 Mar. Q illegitimate conftruftion i I fcorne that with my 
 heeles. 
 
 Beat. Tis almoft fiue a clocke cofin, tis time you were r ea- 
 dy,by my troth I am exceeding ill.hey ho. 
 . For a hauke,a horfe,or a husband? 
 
bout 
 
 'Beat. For the letter that begins them al, H. 
 
 Mar. Wei, and you be not turnde Turke, thcres no more 
 faylingbytheftarre. 
 
 2?otf, What meanes the foole trow? 
 
 Afar. Nothing I, but God fend euery one their hearts de- 
 fire. 
 
 Hero Thefe gloues the Counte fcnt me,they arc an exceU 
 lent perfume. 
 
 Beat. I am ftuft cofin ,1 cannot fmell. 
 
 Afar. A maide and ftuft ! thcres goodly catclung of 
 colde, 
 
 Bent. O God help me,God help me, how long haue you 
 profeft apprehenflon? 
 
 Afar. Euerfinceyouleftit, doth not my wit become me 
 rarely? 
 
 'Beat. Itisnotfeeneenoughjouftiould weare it in your 
 cap,by my troth I am ficke. 
 
 <JM.ar. Get you fome of this difHH'd cardans bwcUttm, 
 and lay it to your hean,itij the onely thing for a quahne. 
 
 Hero There thou prickfl her with a thitTel. 
 
 Beat. Bc*diRnsjn\yj beneMl#ilyo\& haue fome moral in this 
 
 . Morall?no by my troth I haue no morall meaning, 
 I meant plaine holy thill el, you may thinke perchaunce that 1 
 think you are in loue,nay birlady I am not fuch a foole to think 
 what I lift,nor I lid: not to thinke what I cm, nor indeed I can 
 not think, if I would thinke my heart out ofthinking.thatyou 
 are in loue , or that you will be in loue , or that you can be in 
 loueryet Bencdicke was fuch another and now is he become a 
 imn.he fwore he would neuer marry, and yet now in difpight 
 of his heart he eates his meate without grudging, and how you 
 may be conuerted I know not, but me thuikes you looke with 
 your eies as other women do. 
 
 Beat. What pace is this that thy tongue keepes? 
 
 iJktarg. Not a falfe gallop, Snter Vrfula. 
 
 Vrfuh Mnd.imewithdraw,the prince, lheCount,fignioc 
 Benedicke, Donlohn, and all the gal lants of the town care 
 
 F 2 come 
 
I- 1- 
 
 come to fetch you to church. 
 
 Hero Help to drelTe me good coze,good Meg, good Vr- 
 fula. 
 
 Enter Leonatlo^fwdthe^o^Jlayie^ndtloe HeAdborctiqk . 
 Leonato What would you with me,honeft neighbour? 
 Cwft.Dog. Mary fir I would haue fome conliderice with 
 you,that decernesyounearcly. 
 
 Lecnato brief e 1 pray you, for you fee it is a bufie time with 
 rne. 
 
 Confl 7>|. Mary this it is fir. 
 Headb. Yes in truth it is fir, 
 Leonato W hat is it my good friends? 
 fanfDo. Goodman Verges fir fpeaks alittle of the matter, 
 an old man fir, and his wittes are notfo blunt , as God helpe I 
 would dcfire they were>but mfaith honefl >as the skin between 
 hisbrowes. 
 
 Head. Yes T thank God,I am as honed as any man liuing, 
 that is an old man,and no honeflerthen I. 
 
 ConftfDog. Comparifonsare odorous,palabras,neighbour 
 Verges. 
 20 Leonato Neighbors, you are tedious. 
 
 Confl. Dog. \ t pleafes your worfhip to fay fo , but we are the 
 poore Dukes om*cers,buttruly for mine ownc part if I were as 
 tedious as a King I could find in my heart to bellow it all of 
 your worfhip. 
 
 Leonato Al thy tedioufne/Te on me,ah? 
 Conft.Dof. Yea.and't twereathoufand pound more than m, 
 for I heare as good exclamation on your wormippe as.ofany 
 man in the citie,and though I be but a poore man,l am lad to 
 heare it. 
 
 Head. And fb am I, 
 33 Leonato \ would faine know what you haue to fay. 
 
 Head. Mary fir our watch to night, excepting yourwor- 
 fhips prefence , ha tanea couple of as arrant knaues as any in 
 Me/Tina, 
 
 Confl.'Dog. A good old man fir , he will be talking as they 
 fay, when the age ix in,the wit is out, God help vs, it is a world 
 
 to 
 
i-;, 
 tbout Not bin?. in.v. 
 
 to fee: well (aid y faith neighbour Verges, well, God's a good 
 nian,and two men ride of a hoi (e,onc nmil ride bchmd,an ho- 
 ned foule yfaith fir,by my troth he is, as tuer broke biead>but 
 God is to be worfhipt, all men are not alike, alas good neigh- 
 bour. 
 
 Ltonato Indeed neighbour he comes too iliort of you. 
 Conft.Do. Gifts that Godgiues, 
 Lecnato I muft leaucyou. 
 
 finft.Dog. One word fir, our watch fir haue indecde com- 
 prehended two alpitiotis perfbns, and wee woulde haue them 
 this morning examined before your worfliip. 
 
 Leonato Take their examination your felfe,and bring it me, 
 lam now in great ha(le,as it may appeare vnto you. 
 
 fonftable It (hall be fuffigance. (exit 
 
 Leon.no Drinlce fome wine ere you goe : fare you well. 
 Jlfefftwe-r My lord, they (lay for you,to g'me your daugh- 
 ter to her husband. 
 
 Leon. lie wait vpon them, I am ready. 
 'Dogb. Go good partner, goc get you to Francis Sea- cole, 
 bid him bring his pennc and inckchorne to the Gaolc : we are 
 now to examination thefe men. 
 Merges And we mufl: do it wifely. 
 
 T>ogbery We will fpare for no witte I warrant you : hceres 
 that fhall driuefomc of them to a noncome, only get the lear- 
 ned writer to fctdowneour excommunication, and meet me 
 at the laile. 
 
 Enter Prince^dftar^Leotjato frier, faftdio,Ben&' 
 
 dicke, Hero^ndTZeatnce. 
 
 Leonato Come Frier Francis be briefe, onely totheplaine 
 forme of marriage, and you (hall recount their particular due- 
 lies afterwards. 
 
 fra. You come hither,my lord,to marry this lady. 
 Cldtidio No. 
 
 Leo To bee married to her : "Frier,you come to marry her. 
 Trier Lady, you come hither to be married to this counte. 
 Hero I do. 
 
 Frifr If cither of you know any inward impediment why 
 
 F 3 you 
 
you fhould not be conioyncd , I charge you on your fbulcs to 
 vtter it. 
 
 Ckudio Know you any,Hero* 
 
 Hero None my lord. 
 
 Frier Know you any,Counte? 
 
 Leonato Idaremakehisanfwer, None. 
 
 Clan. O what men dare do! what men may do! what men 
 daily do, not knowing what they do! 
 
 Went. Howe nowe! intericftions ? why then, fomebeof 
 Jaughing,as, ah,ha,he. 
 
 (^Uwbo Stand thee by Frier,father,by your leaue, 
 Will you with free and vncon drained foule 
 G tue me this maide your daughter? 
 
 Leon.tta A s freely fonne as God did g'me her mee. 
 
 Cltttdio And what haue I to giue you backe whofe woorth 
 May counterpoife this rich and pretious gift? 
 
 Princn Nothing,vnlefie you rendw her againe. 
 Claudio S weete Prince, you learne me noble thankfulncs: 
 There Leonato, take her backe againe, 
 Giue not this rotten orenge to your friend, 
 Shee's but the figneand (emblance of her honor: 
 Behold how like a maide (he blufhes heere! 
 O whatauthoritieand (hew of truth 
 Can cunning finne couer it felfe withalll 
 Comes not that blood,as modcfl euidence, 
 To witncfTe fimple Vertuc? would you not (weare 
 AH you that fee fier,that flie were a maide, 
 By thefe exterior ftiewes? But Hie is none: 
 She knowcs theheateofa luxurious bed: 
 Her bladi is gui!cinefTe,notmodenie. 
 
 Leonato W ha t do you mcane my lord? 
 
 Ckofdio Not to be married, 
 Not to knit my fbule to an approoued wanton, 
 
 Lccnato Deere my lord,ifyou in your owne proofe, 
 Haucvanquifhttherefiftanoeofhcryouth, 
 And madedcfeatc ofliervirsjiniiie. 
 
 Cl*ud> I know what you would fay :iflhmieknowneher, 
 
 You 
 

 a 
 
 You will fay>fhe did imbrace me as a husband, 
 And fo extenuate the fore hand finne : NoLconalo, 
 I neuer tempted her with word too large, 
 But as a brother to his fiftcr, fhewed 
 Bafhfuli {incerituvind comelieloue. 
 
 Htro And fcemde I euer otherwife to you.' 
 CUudio Out on thce feeming,! wil wnce againfl it, 
 You fccme to me as Diane in her Orbe, 
 AschaftcGsisthc buddeereit beblowne: 
 But you are more intemperate in your blood, 
 Than Venus, or thofe pampred animalls, 
 That rage in fauage (enfualitie, 
 
 Hero Is my Lord well that he doth fpeake fb wide? 
 Leonato Sweete prince,why fpeake not you? 
 "Prince What fhould I fpeake? 
 1 fland difhonourd that haue gone about, 
 To lincke my deare friend to a common ftaie. 
 
 Leonato Are thefe things fpoken,or do I buf drenme? 
 r B*ft*rd Sir,they arc fpoken,arid thefe things arc true. 
 TScncdt Thislookcs not like a nuptiall. 
 Hero True,OGod! 
 C/W. Leonaro,ftand I here? 
 Is this the pnncc?is this the princes brother? 
 Is this face Heroes?are our ties our owne? 
 
 Leoxato All this is fo>but what of this my Lord/ 
 Claud. Let me but moue one queftion to your daughter, 
 And by that fatherly and kindly power, 
 That you haue in her,bid her anfwer truly. 
 
 Leontio I charge theedo fo,as thou art my child* 
 Hero O God defend me how am 1 befet, 
 What kind ofcatechifing call you this? 
 Claud. To make you anfwer truly to your name, 
 Hero Is it not Hero,who can blot that name 
 With any mft reproch? 
 
 Claud. Mary that can Hero, 
 Hero itfelfe can blot out Heroes vertue. 
 What man was he talkt with you yefternigrit, 
 Out at your window betwixt tw due and one? Now 
 
 IV. 
 
 
 
48 
 
 Now 'if you arc a maide,an{vvcr to this. 
 
 Hero 1 talkt with no man at that hower my lord* 
 
 ^Prince Why then are you no maiden. Leouato, 
 I am (ory you rnuft heareivpon mine honor, 
 My felfe,my brother,and thisgrieued Counte 
 Did fee herjieare her,at that howre lad night, 
 Talke with a ruffian at her chamber window, 
 Who hath indeedc mod like a liberal) villaine, 
 Confeft the vile encounters they haue had 
 A thoufand times in fecret, 
 
 fohn Fie,fie,thcy arenotto be named my lord, 
 Not to be fpoke of, 
 
 There is not chafhtie enough in language, 
 Without offence to vtter them:thu$ pretty lady, 
 I am fbry for thy much mifgouerncment, 
 
 Claud, O Hero! what a Hero hadft thoubin, 
 Ifhalfc thy outward graces had bin placed, 
 Aboiitthy thoughts and counfailes of thy heart? 
 But fare thce well,moft foule.mofl fairejarewdl 
 Thou pure impietic,and impious puritie, 
 For thce ile locke vp all the gates of Loud 
 And on my eie-liddes fhall Conieclure hang, 
 To turneall bcautie into thoughts of harmc, 
 And neuer fhall it more be gracious. 
 
 Leonato Hath no mans dagger here a point for me, 
 Beatrice Why how now cofii^whcffore finke you down? 
 
 Tlattard Come let vs go:thefe things come thus to light, 
 Smother herfpirits vp 4 
 
 Benedtckc How doth the Lady ? 
 
 Beatrice Dead I thinkejielpvncle, 
 Hero, why Hcro,vnck, {igniorBenedicke,Fricr. 
 Lcontto O Pate jtnke not away thy hcauy hand, 
 Death is tbefatreft coucr for her fhame 
 That may be wifht for 
 
 Ttcamce How now cofin Hcro^ 
 
 Frier Hauc comfort lady. 
 Leonato Dofl thou lookc vp? 
 
 fritr 
 
 
 
about 3\o thing. 
 
 Frier Yea,wherefore fhouldilienot? 
 
 LeoxAto Whcrforc? why doth not euery earthly thing, 722 
 
 Cryihamcvponhcr?cou!d me here deny 
 Theilory that is printed in her bloudf 
 Do nol hue Hcro,do not ope thine eies: 
 Fordid [ thinke thoii wouldf \ not quick iy die, 
 Thought I thy fpirites wcrcftrongcr than thy flumes, 
 Myfeffc would ou therereward of reproches 
 Strike at thy life. Gricuedl 1 had but one? 
 Chid I for that atfrugall Natures frame? /so 
 
 one too much by thcc'why had I one? 
 W T hy euer waft thou lonely in my eies? 
 Why had I not with charitable hand, 
 
 Tookc vp a beggars ifliie at my gates, 734 
 
 Who fmirchcd thus, and mired with infamy, f 
 
 1 might haue faid,no part of it is mine, 
 
 This fhame deriues itfelfe from vnknowne loynes, 
 But mine and mine I loucd,and mine 1 praifde, 
 And mine that I was prowd on mine fo much, 
 That 1 rny felfe,wa.s to rny/elfc not mine: 
 Va1ewingofher,why flic.Ofheisfalne, 
 Into a pit of incke, that the wide fea 
 Hath drops too few to wafh her cleane againe, 
 A nd fait too littlc,which may feafon giue 
 To her foule tainted flcfli. 
 
 Rffj. Sir,fir,be patient,fbrmy part I amfo attired in won- 
 der, I know not what to fay. 
 
 Bear. O on myfbule my cofin is belied. 
 
 Benc, Lady ,were you her bedfellow laflnight? 
 
 'Beat. No truly , not although vntill lafl night, 
 I haue this tweluemonth bin her bedfellow. 
 
 Leon. Confirmd.confirmd.O that is ftrongcr made, 
 Which was before bard vp with ribs of yron, 
 Would the two princes lie^nd Clandio lie, 
 Wholouedherfojthntfpeakingofherfouleneffe, 
 Waflit it with tcarcs'hencc from her, let her die, 
 
 Frier Heare me a little,for I haue only bin filentfb long.Sc 
 givien way x^nto this courfc ol fortune, by noting of the Fady . i 
 naue markt, G A IGO 
 
50 
 
 A thoufand blufliing apparitions, 
 To ftai t into her face,n thoufand innocent flumes, 
 In angel whiten efTe beate away thofc blufties, 
 And in her eic there hath appeard a fire, 
 To burnethe crroVs that thefc princes hold 
 Againfl her maiden truth: call me a foolc, 
 Truft not my reading,ncr rny obferuation.s, 
 Which with experimental feale doth warrant 
 The tenure of my booke:truRnotmyage, 
 My reuerencejCallingpor diuinitie, 
 If this fwecte tadie Jie not guiltleflc here, 
 Vnder fome biting err our, 
 
 Lconnto Fiierjt cannot be, 
 Thou feed that 'A the grace that foe hath left, 
 Is, that fhe will not adde to her damnation, 
 A fmneof penury, fhe not denies it: 
 "Why fcckll thou then to coucr with excufe, 
 That which appeares in proper nakedneiTi?? 
 
 Frier Lady,what man is he you areaccufde of? 
 
 Hero Thty know thatdoaccufcme, I knownonv 
 If I know more of any man ^liue 
 Then that which maiden modcfty doth warrant, 
 Let all my finnes laclcemcrcic,O iny father, 
 Proueyou that any man with me conuerft, 
 A t houres vnmeele,or that I yeHernight 
 Maintaind the change ofwords with any creature, 
 Refufe mc,hate me,toiturt me to death. 
 
 Frier T here rs (bine Grange mifprifion in the pi inures. 
 
 Bate. Two of them haue the very bent of honour, 
 Andiftheirwifedomes bemifledin this, 
 The praclifeof it lines in lohn the BaRard, 
 Whofefpiritts toyle inframeofvillanies. 
 
 Leonato ] know not/if they fpcake but truth of her, 
 fhcfe hands Oial! teare her , if t hey wrong her honour, 
 Theprowdeft of them flial wcllwareof it. 
 Time hath not yet /b dried this bloud of mine, 
 Nor age fo eate vp my inuentior>> 
 
 Nor 
 
51 
 
 Nor Fortune made fuch hauoclceof iny rneanes, 
 
 Nor my bad life reft mefo much of friend*, 
 
 But they fhall find nwakte in fuch a kind, 
 
 lioth (Irength of!imbe,and policy of mind, 
 
 A bility in rneancs.and rhoiie of friends, 
 
 To quit me of them throughly, zoz 
 
 frier Pjwfe awhile, 
 And let my counfcll (way you in this cnfe, 
 Your daughter here thrprinceffcr (left for dead,) 
 Let her awhile be fecretly kept in, 
 And publifh it, that fheis dead indeede, 
 Maintains a mourning ofrcntation, 
 And on your families old monument, 
 Hang inourncfu! epitaphcs.and do all rites, 
 That appcrtame vnto a buriall. zw 
 
 Leon, What fhall become of thisrwhat will this do? 
 
 Fri*r Mary this well caried, fhall on her behalfe,, 
 Change flaunder to remorfe,that is fome good, 
 But not for that dreame I on this Orange courfe, 
 But on this trauaile lookc for greater birth: 
 She dymg,asit rnuil befb maintaind, 
 Vpon the inflantthat fhe was accufctc, 
 
 Shal belamented^ittiedjand excufde &* 
 
 Of euery hcarerrfor it fo falls out, 
 T hat what we haue,we prize not to the worth, 
 Whiles we enioy it>but being lackt and loft, 
 Why then we racke the valew,then we find 
 The vertuc that poflei7ion would notfhew vs 
 Whiles it was ours,fo will it fare with Claudio: 
 When hee fhall heare (Tie died vpon his words, 
 Th 1 d^a of her life (liall fwcctly creepe, 
 Into his fludy of imagination, 
 And euery louely Organ of her life, 
 Shall come apparelld in more precious habite, 
 More moouing delicate,and full of life, 
 Into the eie and profpeft of his foule 
 Then when fheliudeindecdrthen fhall hemourne, 
 
 G 2 If 
 
52 
 
 If eucr loue had intereft in his liuer, 
 And wrfh he had notfo accufed her: 
 Nojthough he thought his accufation true: 
 Let this be fo, and doubt not but fuccefTe 
 Will faOiion the euent in better fh ape, 
 Then I can lay it clownc in likelihood. 
 But if all ay me but this be Icuelld falfe, 
 The fuppofition of the ladies death, 
 Will quench the wonder of her infainie. 
 And if it fort not wel,youmay concealeher, 
 As befl befits'her wounded reputation, 
 In fbme rcclufiue and religious life, 
 Out of all eies,tonguesj niinds ; andiniuries 
 
 r Bcne. Signior Leonato,let the Frier aduife you, 
 And though you know my inwardneiTe and louc 
 Is very much vnto the prince and Claudio, 
 Yct,by mine honor, I will deale in this, 
 Asfecretly and iullly as yourfoule 
 Should with your body* 
 
 Leon. Being that I flow in griefe, 
 Thefmalleft twine may leadc me. 
 
 Frier Tis wel Contented, prefently away, 
 For to ftrangc fores,ftrangely they irrainethe cure, 
 Come lady,die to liuc, this wedding day 
 Perhaps is but prolonged ,haue patience and endure, exit 
 
 Bee. Lady Bcatrice ; haueyou wcptal this while 2 
 
 'Sfat. Yea, and I will weep a while longer. 
 
 Bcne. I will not clefire that. 
 
 Beat. You haue no reafonj do it freely. 
 
 3ee. Surely I do belceuc yourfaire cofin is wronged. 
 
 'Seat. A h , how much might the man dcferue of me that 
 would right her! 
 
 Bene. Is there any way to fhew fuch fricnd(hip> 
 
 B^r. A very euen way 3 but no fuch friend. 
 
 Rene. May a man do it? 
 
 *jBeat. 1 1 is a mans office ,but not yours, 
 
 I doe loue nothing in the worlde fo well as you, 
 
 is 
 
 
53 
 
 about 3Vj)tbwg. 
 
 isnotthatftrangc? 
 
 Bear. As ftrange as the thing 1 knowc not, it were as poffi- 
 blc for me to fay,l loued nothing fo wel as you, but bclcuc me 
 not .and ye( I lie not, 1 confcflc nothing, nor I deny nothing,! 
 am fory for my coofin. 
 
 Bcned. By my fword Beatrice., thou loucft me. 
 'P>edt. Donotfweareandeatcit. 
 
 Tlencd. I will fvvearc by iuhat you loue me,and I wil make 
 him eatc it that fayes I loue not you. 
 Tleat. Will you not eatc your word? 
 Bened. With no fawcc that can be deuifcd to it, I protefl I 
 loue thec. 
 
 Bear. Why then God forgiue me. 
 Bcned. \ r VhatofTencc fweetc Beat rice? 
 B/. Y ou h an e flayed me in a happy houre, I was about 
 to proteft 1 loued you. 
 
 Tlcncct. And do it with all thy heart. 
 'Beat. IIouc you with fo much of my hcart,that none is left 
 to proteft. 
 
 Bened. Come bid me doe any thing for thec. 
 But. KillClaudio. 
 BW. Ha, not for the wide world. 
 Beat, You kill me to deny it, farewell. 
 Bened. Tarry fweete Beatrice. 
 
 Beat. I am gone,though I am here, there is no loue in you, 
 nay I pray you let me go. 
 TZened. Beatrice. 
 Bear. In faith I will go. 
 Heued. VVede be friends firfl. 
 
 Beat. You dare eafier be friends with mee, than fight with 
 mine enemy. 
 
 TtcntA. Is Claudio thine enemy? 
 
 Beat. Isanotapproouedimhehcightavillainc, that hath 
 flaundered, fcorned, difhonored my kiniwoman? Othatl 
 were a man! what, beareher in hand, vntill they come to take 
 handes, and then with publike accufation vncouerd flaunder, 
 vnoiittigated rancour ? O God that I were a man ! 1 woulde 
 
 G 3 cate 
 
54 
 
 eate his heart in the market place. 
 
 Bened. H eare me Beatrice , 
 
 Beat . Talke with a man out at a window, a proper faying. 
 
 Betted. Nay but Beatrice. 
 
 'Beat. S weetc Hero /he is wrongd,fhe is flaundredj/hee is 
 vndone. 
 
 Bened. Beat? 
 
 Beat. Princes and Counties! fiirely a princely teflimonie ,a 
 goodly Counte, Counte Comfecl,a fvveete Gallant furely, O 
 that I were a man for his fake! or that I had any friend woulde 
 be a man for my fake ! But manhoode is melted into curfies, 
 valour into complemented men are only turnd into tongue, 
 and trim ones too : he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only 
 tels a lie,and fwenres it : I cannot be a man with wiihing,r.ncr~ 
 fore I will die a woman with grieuing;, 
 
 'BeneA. Tarry good Bcatrice,by this hand I loue thee. 
 
 'Beatrice Vfe it for my louc fome other way than fw earing 
 by it. 
 
 Bened. Thinke you in your fbule the Count Claudio hath 
 wrongd Hero? 
 
 Beatrice Yea, as fare as I haue a thought,or a foule* 
 
 'Bened. Enough,! am engagde, I will challenge htm, I will 
 Iciflcyour hand,and fo J Icauc you : by this hand,Claudio fhal 
 render me a deere account: as you heare of me,fo think of me: 
 goe comforts vour coofm, I muft fay (lie is dead, and fo fare- 
 well. 
 
 Enter the ConftablesfBorachio,4ndthe TOVFW dc*rke 
 tngorvncs. 
 
 Keeper Is our whole drlTembly appeard? 
 u Cmley OadooleandacufhTonfortheSexton. 
 
 Sexton Which be the maleftftors? 
 
 M ary that am I ,and my partner. 
 Nay thats cotaine,we haue the exhibition to txa- 
 mine. 
 
 Sexton But which are the offenders: that arc to be cxami - 
 ned, let them come before maiftcr conflable. 
 
 Yea mary, let them come before mee , what is your 
 
about 
 
 namcjfriend? 
 
 73or. Borachio. 
 
 Ke. Pray write downe Borachio. Yours firm. 
 
 Con. I am a gentleman fir,and my name is Conrade. 
 
 Ke. Write downe maifter gentleman Conrade : 
 do you feme God ^ 
 
 Both Y ea ( i r w e h ope. 
 
 Kern. W f ritc downe, that they hope they ferueGod : and 
 write God firft,for God defend but God fhouldegoe before 
 fuch vil!aincs:maifr.ers,it isproouedalreadie that you arc little 
 better than falfe knaues , and it will go necre to be thought fo 
 (hortly, how anfwer you for your (clues? 
 
 W. Mary fir we fay,we are none. 
 
 Kemp A maruellous witty fcllowe I allure you , but I will 
 go about with him: come you hither firra , a word in your ear* 
 fir,I lay to you, it is thought you arcfaifc knaucs. 
 
 $or. Sir,! fay toyou, we arc none. 
 
 Kemp V Vcljftand alide, fore G od the}' are both in a tale: 
 haue you writ downe,that they are none? 
 
 Sexton M after conftable, you go not the way to examine, 
 you niuft call foorth the watch that are their accufcrs. 
 
 Kemp Yea mary , thats the efreft way, let the watch come 
 forth : matters, I charge you in the Princes name accufethefe 
 men. 
 
 Watch I This manfaid llr,that don lohn the Princes bro- 
 ther was a villaine, 
 
 Kemp Write downe,prince John a villaine : why this is flat 
 periurie,to call a Princes brother villaine. 
 
 Borachio Maifter ConOable. 
 
 Kemp Pray thcc fellowe peace, I doe not like thy looke I 
 promifethee. 
 
 Sexton VVhat heard you him fay elfe? 
 
 Watch 2 M ary that he had receiued a thoufand duckats of 
 don lohn, for acctifingthe Ladie Hero wrongfully. 
 
 Kemp Flat burglarie as euer was committed. 
 
 Conft. YcabymafTcthatitis* 
 
 ifeUowi 
 
Watch I And that Countc Claudio did meane vppon his 
 wordes, to difgraccHero before the whole affemblie,and not 
 marrie her. 
 
 Kemp O viliainc! thou wilt becondemnd into euerlafling 
 redemption for this. 
 
 Sexton VVhatelfe? muck This is all 
 
 Sexton And this is more mailers then you can deny ,prince 
 John is this morning fecretlie ftolne awaie : Hero was in this 
 manner accufdc, in this vcrie manner refufde , and vppon the 
 griefeofthis fodainlic died : MaiforConftabJe,lettnefernen 
 be bound , and brought to Leonatoes, 1 will goe before and 
 fhew him their examination. 
 
 Conftable Come letthembeopiniond. 
 
 fott/ey Let them be in the hands ofCoxcornbe. 
 
 Kemp Gods my life.wheres the Sexton^let him write down 
 the Princes officer Coxeombe:corne,bindthcrn,thou naugh- 
 ty varlet. 
 
 CouUy Away, you are an afle, you are an afTe. 
 
 Kemp Dooft thou notfufpcft my place ? doofl thou not 
 fufpeft my yeeres. ; O that he were here to write me downe an 
 aiTe! but maifters , remember that I am an afTe, though it bee 
 not written downe,yet forget not that 1 am an aiTe : No thou 
 villaine, thou art full ofpietie as dial be prou'de vpon thee by 
 good witnes, lama wifefellow, and which is more,an officer, 
 and which is more, a houfholder, and which is more, as pret- 
 ty a peece offlefh as anie is in Medina , and one that knowes 
 the Law, goe to, and a rich fellow enough,go to and a fellow 
 that hath had loiTes,and one that hath two govvncs.and cucry 
 thing hanfome about him : bring him away:O that 1 had bin 
 writ dow ne an afTe I exit. 
 
 Enter L-eoHftfiAndki* brother. 
 
 Er other If you go on thus,you will kill yourfclfe, 
 A nd tis not wifedotne thus toiecond griefe, 
 Againil yourfelfe. 
 
 Leowto J pray thee ccafc thy counfaile, 
 Which tallesmto mine cares as profitleiTc, 
 As water inafyueigiuc not me counfaile, 
 
 Nor 
 
->: 
 
 about Wothinr* \:\. 
 
 Nor let no comforter delight mine care, 
 
 But fuch a one whofe wrongs doefufe with mine. 
 
 Bring me a father that fb iou'd his child, 
 
 "Whofc ioy of her is ouer-whelmd like mine, 
 
 And bid him fpeakc of patience, 
 
 Mcafurc his woe the length and bredth of mine, 
 
 And let it anfwcr cucry ftratne for ftraine, 
 
 As thus for thus, and fuch a griefc for fuch, 
 
 In eucry lineament,branch,mape,and forme: 
 
 If fuch a one will fmile and ftroke his beard, 
 
 And forro w,waggc,crie hem, when he fhould grone, )f , 
 
 Patch griefc with proucrbes,make misfortune drunkc, 
 
 With candle- wafters: bring him yet to me, 
 
 And I of him will gather patience: 
 
 But there is no fuch man,fbr brothcr,men 
 
 Can counfaile and fpeake comfort to that griefe, 
 
 "Which they themfelucs not fcele.but tafting it, 
 
 Theircounfailc turncsto paflion,which before, 
 
 Would giuc preceptiall inedcinc to rage, 
 
 Fetter ftrong madnefle in a filken thred, 
 
 Charmc ach with ayrt,and agony with words, 
 
 No,no,tis all mcns office, to ipeake patience 
 
 To thofc that wring vnder the loade of forro w 23 
 
 But no mans veitue nor fufficiencie 
 
 To be fb moral!, when he fhall endure 
 
 The like himfelfe: therefore giuemeno counfailc^ 
 
 My gricfes crie lowder then aduertifement. 32 
 
 'Brother Therein do men from children nothing dfflfer. 
 
 Leorutto I pray thee peace, I wil be flefli and bloud, 
 For there was neuer yet Philofopher, 
 That could endure the tooth-ake patiently, 
 How euer they haue writ the fhle ofgods, 
 And made a puih at chance and fufrerance. 
 
 'Brother Yet bend not all the harme vpon your felfe, 
 Make thofe that do offend you/uffer too. 
 
 Leon At o There thou fpcakft reafon^nay I will do fo, 
 
 My foule doth tell rne,Hero is belied, 
 
 And 
 
5 8 
 
 And that fhali Claiulto know/c ftiali theprince, 
 And all of them that thus diftonour her. 
 
 Enter Prince and ldndi.o t 
 
 'Brother Here comes the Prince and Claudio hafhly. 
 
 Prince Good den,good den. 
 
 Claudia Good day (o bothofyou. 
 
 Leonato Heare you my Lords? 
 
 *princc We haue ibme hafte Leonato. 
 
 JLecKttto Some hafte my lord! well,farc you well my lord, 
 Are you fb hafty no w?wel,all is one. 
 
 Trince Nay do not quarrel with vs,good old man. 
 
 'Brother If he could right himfclfe with quarrelling, 
 Some of vs would lie low. 
 
 Claudio Who wrongs him? 
 
 Lenta. Mary thou doft wrong m,thou difTembler^ thou: 
 Nay, neuer lay thy hand vpon thy fword, 
 I feare thee not. 
 
 Claudto Mary befhrew my hand, 
 If it fhould giueyour agcfuch caufe of feare, 
 In&ith my hand meant nothing to my fword. 
 
 Leon*to TuGi,tui}i man,neuer fleere and ieft at me, 
 Ifpeake not like a dotard, norafbole, 
 As vnderpriuikdge of age to bragge, 
 What I haue done being yong,or what would doe, 
 Were I not old,know Claudio to thy head, 
 Thou haft fb wrongd mine innocent child and me, 
 That I am forft to lay my reucrcnceby, 
 And with grey hairesand bruife of many daies, 
 Do challenge thee to trial! of a man, 
 I fay thou haft belied mine innocent child. 
 Thy (lander hath gone through and through her heart, 
 And (lie lies buried whh heranccftors: 
 O in a tooinb where neuer fcandal flept, 
 Saue this of hers, framde by thy villanie. 
 
 Claudia Mvvillany? 
 
 Lcontto Thine Claudio,thine I fay. 
 
 Prince You fay not right old mark 
 
 Lewuto 
 
 
 

 about Dotting 
 
 Lfonato My Lord,myLord, 
 lie prooue it on his body if he dare, 
 Difpight his nice fence, and his aftiue praftife, 
 HisMaic of youth,and bloome of luftihood. 
 
 Chiudio Away, I will not haue to doe with you. 
 
 Lfoxato Canl \ thou fo daffe me?thou haft kild my child., 
 If thou kilft me,boy,thou flialt kill a man. 
 
 Brother He fhal kill two ofvs,and men indeed, 
 But thats no matter,lct him kill one firft : 
 
 Win me and weare mejet him anfwer me, 82 
 
 Come follow me boy,come fir boy,come follow me 
 Sir boy ,ile whip you from your foyning fence, 
 Nay,as I am a gentleman I, will. 
 
 Leonato Brother. 
 
 'Brother Content your felf,God knowes,! loued my necce, 
 A nd fheis dead,flanderd to death by villaines, 
 T hat dare as well anfwer a man indeed, 
 As I dare take a fcrpenc by the tongue, 90 
 
 Boyes,apes,braggarts,Iackes,milke-fops. 
 
 Lewato Brother Anthony. 
 
 Brother Hold you content,what man! I know them,yta 
 And what they weigh ,euen tothevtmoftfcruple, 
 Scarnbling,oiu-icing/afhion-mongjngboics, 
 Thatlie,and coggc,and flout,depraue,and (launder, 
 Go antiquely ,and fhcw outward hidioufiieffe, 
 AndfpeakeofhalfcadozcndangVousv;onis, 
 How they might hurt their cnemics,tf they durft, 
 And this is all. 
 
 Leonato But brother Anthonie 
 'Brother Come tis no matter, 
 Do not you meddle,lct me deale in this. 
 
 Tr'mce Gentlemen both, we will not wake your patience, 
 My heart is fory for your daughters death: 
 But on my honour fhe was chargdewith nothing 
 But what was true, and very full of proofe. 
 
 Leonato My Lord, my Lord. 10* 
 
 *Prtnce I will not heare you. 
 
 H2 
 
60 
 
 Leo. No come brother,away, I wil be heard. Bxeuvtamb, 
 'Bro. And foal, or fome of vs wil fmart for it. gnterTlen. 
 Prince See fee, heere comes ihe man we went to feeke. 
 flaxd. Now fignior^vhat newes ? 
 Bf*fd. Good day my Lord : 
 
 Prince Welcome fignioi , you are ahnoft come to parte al- 
 Tnoftafray. 
 
 Cfaud. Wee had likt to haue had our two nofes fnapt off 
 with two old men without teeth. 
 
 Trmce Leonato and his brother what thinkft thouvhad we 
 fought,! doubt we /hould haue beene too yong for them. 
 
 'Bened* In a falfe quarrell there is no true valour, I came to 
 feeke you both. 
 
 Claud. We haue beene vp and downe to feeke thee,for we 
 are high proofe melancholic, and would faine haue it beaten 
 away, wilt thou vfe thy wit ? 
 
 i>ened. It is in my fcabberd, (hal I drawe it ? 
 726- ^rittce Doeft thou weare thy wit by thy fide ? 
 
 Uxd. Neuerany did fb,though very many haue been be- 
 fide their wit , I will bid thee drawc,as wcc doe the minftrcls, 
 draw to pleafure vs. 
 
 00 Prince As I am an hon eft man he lookes pale, art thou 
 
 ficke,or angry f 
 
 flaud. What courage man : what though care kild a catte, 
 * thou hail mettle enough in thcc to kill care. 
 
 'Bcned, Sir, I fhall meete your wit in the careere , and you 
 charge it againft me, I pray you chufe another fubieci 
 
 foud. Nay then giue him another {}affe,this lad was broke 
 croiTe. 
 
 Trine* By tliis light he chaunges more and more, I thinke 
 he be angry indeed. 
 
 laud'. If he be,he knowes how to turne his girdle. 
 TBeneti. Shall I fpeake a word in your eare J 
 ('land. God blcfTe me from a challenge. 
 Sened. Yotiarcavillainc, I ieaft not, I will make it good 
 howe you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare 1 ; doo 
 mee rightjor I willproteft your cowardilc : you haue killd a 
 
 fweete 
 
61 
 
 
 about 
 
 fweeete Lady, and her death (hall fallheaaieon you, let me 
 hcarc from you. 
 
 Cfaud. Well I wil meet you,(b I may haue good chcarc. 
 
 Prince What^feaf^afeaft? 
 
 Claud. I faith I thanke him he hath bid me to a calucs head 
 & a capon,the which if I doe not came moil curioully/ay my 
 kniffe's naught, fhall fnotiindawoodcocketoo? 
 
 Bened. Sir your wit ambles well, it goes cailly. 
 
 Trtnce 1 le tell thee how Beatncepraifd thywitte thcother 
 day: I faid thou hadft a fine wittc, truefaidfhe,a fine little one: 
 no faid I,a great wit : rightfaies (he, a great groifc one: nay faid 
 I, a good wit, iuilfaid fhe } it hurts no body:nay faid I, the gen- 
 tleman is wife: certainefaidfhe, a wife gentleman: nay faid I,he 
 hath the tongues: that 1 beleeue faid fhee, for he fwore a thing 
 to mee on munday night,which hee forfwore on tuefday mor- 
 ning, theres a double tongue theirs two tongues, thus did fhee 
 an houre together tranf fliape thy particular vertues,yet at laft 
 (he cocluded with a figh,thou waft the properft man in Italy. 
 
 Claud. For the which (hee wept heartily and faide ihe ca- 
 red not. 
 
 .Prince Yea that {he did, but yet for all that, and if fhe did 
 nor hate him deadly, fhe would loue him dearely, the old mans 
 daughter told vs all. 
 
 l<i*d. All all, and moreouer,God fawe him when he was 
 hid in the garden, 
 
 Prince But when ftiall wefetthefauage bulles homes one 
 thcfenfible Benedicks head? 
 
 flax. Yea and text vnder-neath, here dwells Benedick the 
 married man. 
 
 'Bened. Fare you wel, boy,you know my minde, I wil leaue 
 you now to your goffep-like humor.you breake iefts as brag- 
 
 Eirds do their blades, which God be thanked hurt not : my 
 ord,for your many courtifics 1 thanke you > 1 muftdifconti- 
 nue your company,y our brother the bailard is fled from Mef- 
 fina: you haue among you, kild a fweet and innocent lady: for 
 my Lord Lacke-beard, there hee and I dial meef,and till then 
 peace be with him, 
 
 H z Trince 
 
62 
 
 vi tZMncb adoe 
 
 Prince He is in earned. 
 
 Utidio In mod profound earned, and lie warrant you /or 
 the louc of Beatrice. 
 wo Prince And hath chsllengde thec. 
 
 Claudia Mod fincerely. 
 
 f Prince What a pretty thing rrwn is, when he goes in his 
 dublct and hofe,<ind I eaues offnis wit/ 
 
 &ntef ConflzblcSi Co nradf, and TZorachto. 
 Claudia He is then a Giant to an Apc,but then is an Ape a 
 Doclor to fuch a man. 
 
 Trince Butfoftyou,let me be, pluckevp my heart,and be 
 fed,did he not fay my brother was fled? 
 
 Cotifl. Come you fir/ifiudice cannot tame you , /he fhalt 
 nere weigh m ore reafons in her ballance , nay, and you be a 
 curling hypocrite once,you mud be lookt to. 
 
 'Pnnce How nowjtwo of my brothers men bound.'' Bora- 
 chio one. 
 
 ftuufo Hearken after their offence my Lord. 
 Prince Officers^what offence haue thefe men done? 
 Confl. Mary fir ,they haue committed falfe report^ moreo- 
 uertheyhauefpoken vntruths, fccondarily they are (landers, 
 fixtandladly, they hauebelyed a Lady, thirdly'they haue Ve- 
 refiedvniudthinges,and to conclude,they are lying knaues. 
 
 Prince \ Firfllaskethee what they haue done, thirdly I 
 ask thee whats their oiTence,fixt and ladly v\ hy they are coin 
 muted, and to conclu de,what you lay to their charge. 
 
 Claud. Rightly reafoned, and in hisowncdiuillon, and by 
 my troth theres one meaning wel fated. 
 
 Prince Who haue you offended maiders, that you are thus 
 bound to your aniwere.'this learned Condableis too cunning 
 to be vnderdood, whats your offence ? 
 
 Ttor. S weete prinorjet me goc no farther to mine anfwtre: 
 do youheare me.ind let this Countckill me : I haue dcceiued 
 euenyour very eyes: what your wifcdoms could not difcouer, 
 thefc fhallowefooles haue hroght to light, who in the night o- 
 uerheard me confffling to this n-an,how Don lohn your bro- 
 ther mcenfedine to (launder the Lady Hero, howe you \vere 
 
 brought 
 
 1 
 
: 
 
 about frothing. 
 
 bmug!iunfotlicorchard,and fav; me court Margaret in He- 
 roes garments .how you difgracdc hir wiicn you (hould marry 
 hir:my villanv tliey MUCVpon record , which I had raihcrfcale 
 with my deatfi,then repeate ouer to rny fhame:the lady is dead 
 vpon mine and my maflcrs falfe acculation: and bricftly, I dc- 
 fire nothing but the reward or a villa inc. 
 
 Fnnc* Runncs not this fpeech like yron through your 25* 
 bloud/ 
 
 UuJ. I haue dronke poifun whiks lie vttcrd it, 
 Prince But did my brother fcr thecon to this/ 
 Bor. Yea .and paid me rich))' for the praclife of it. 25*- 
 
 'Princt He is compofde and framdc of trcachcrie, 
 And fled heis vpon this villanie. 
 
 CUu. Sweet Hero, now thy image doth appf arc 
 In the rare femblance that I lou'd it fmh 
 
 Conft. Come, bring away the plain tiffcs, bytliis time our 
 fcxton hath reformed Signior Leonato of the matter: and ma- 
 fters, do not forget to fpecifie when time and place ilial ferue, 
 that I am an aile. 
 
 Con.i Here,herc comes mader Signior Lconato, and the 
 fexton too. 
 
 Enter LeonatoJjM brother, ind the Sexton. 
 Leonato "Which is thevillainer']etmefcehiseic5 J 
 Thai when T note another man like him, 
 J may auoide him: which of thcfe is he. ? 
 
 Bor. Ifyou would Icnow your w rongcr,lookc on me. 
 Leonato A rtthou the ilaue that witluny breath had killd zrz \ 
 
 Mine innocent child/ 
 'Bor. Yea,eucn I alone. 
 Leo. No,not fo viliainejthoubeiieftthyfelfe, 
 Here Rand a pake of honourable men, 
 A third is fied that had a hand in it: 
 I thanke you Princes for my daughters death, 
 Record it with your high and worthy deeds, 
 Tvvas braucly done, if you bcthinke you of it* 
 
 Clatt. I know not how to pray your paccnre, 
 Yet I muft fpeake,choofe your reuenge you r (elf c, 
 
 Impofc 
 
 274 
 
 Ztic 
 
64 
 
 
 Impofe me to what penance your inuemion 
 Can lay vpon my{inne,yet finnd 1 not, 
 But iu miuaking. 
 
 Prince By my foulc nor I, 
 And yet to fatishc this good old man, 
 I would bend vnder any heauy waight, 
 Thathecle enioyneme to. 
 
 LeotMto I ca nnot bid you bid my daughter liuc, 
 
 id if your lot 
 
 Can labour aught in fad inuention, 
 
 Hang her an epitaph vpon her toomb. 
 
 And fing it to her boncs,(ing it to night: 
 
 To morrow morning come you to my houfe, 
 
 And fince you could not be my fon in law, 
 
 Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daughter, 
 
 Almoft the copie of my child thats dead, 
 
 And {he alone is heyre to both of vs, 
 
 Gmeher the right you thould hauegiu'nher con, 
 
 And Co dies my reuenge. 
 
 Ckwko O noble fir! 
 
 Your ouer kindneffe doth wring teares from me, 
 I do embrace your ofler and difpofe, 
 For henceforth of poore Claudio. 
 
 Leonato To morrow then I wil expect your comming, 
 To night I take my leaue,this naughty man 
 Shalface to face be brought to Margaret, 
 ''<" Who I beleeue was packt in al this wrong, 
 Hyred to it by your brother, 
 
 Bor. No by my foule (Tie was not, 
 Nor knew not what (he did when fhefpokc to me, 
 Butalwayes hath bin mil and vertuous, 
 In any thing that I do know by her. 
 
 Conft. Moreouer fir, which indeede is not vnder white and 
 blacke,this plaintiffc heere, theoffcndour, did call me aiTe , I 
 befeechyouletubercmcrobrcdinhispunifhment, and alfo 
 
 the 
 
V.i 
 
 Ac watch heard them tallce of one Deformed, they fey he 
 Wearcs a key in his care and a loclcc hanging by it^nd borows 
 monie in Gods namc^hc which he hatli vfck (o long,& neucr 
 paicd,that now men grow hard hearted and wil lend nothing 
 for Gods fakcrpraie you examine him vpon that point. 
 
 Leonaio I thanke thee for thy care and honed paincs- 
 
 Confl. Your worfliip fpeakes like a mod thankful a/id rc- 
 tierent youth -and I praife God for you, 
 
 Leon. Theres for thy paines. 
 
 Conn, God faue the foundation. 
 
 Leon. Goc, I difchargethee of thy prifoncr, and I thanke 
 thee. 
 
 Conn. I leaue an arrant knaue with your wor(hip,which I 
 befecch your worship to correct your fclfe/or the example of 
 others: God keepeyour wordiip, I wifliyour worfhip well, 
 God reftore you to health J humblie giue you leaue to depart 
 and if a merie meeting may be wi/ht,Ood prohibit e it ; come 
 neighbour. 
 
 Let*. Vndll to morrow rnorning > Lords,farewell. 
 
 *Brot. Farewell my lords , we looke for you to morrow. 
 
 tprincc We will not faile. 
 
 Cfaffd. To night ile mourne with Hero. 
 
 Ltonttto Bring you thefefellowes on, weel talke with Mar- 
 garethow her acquaintance grew with this lewd fclow. exeunt 
 Enter Benedicks And Margaret* 
 
 ftened. Praie thee fweete miftris Margaret, deferue well at 
 my hands,by helping me to the fpccch orBeamcc. 
 Mar. wi you then write me a fbnnet in prai fc of my beau* 
 
 Rene. In fo high a ftile Margaret, that no man liuing iTiall 
 comeoucrit/orin mod comely truth thou deferueft it. 
 
 Mar. To Iiaue no man come ouer me, why fhal I alwaies 
 keep bdow daircs. 
 
 B<r/^. Thy wit is as quicke as the grey-hounds mouth , it 
 catches. 
 
 Mar. And your's,as blunt as the Fencers foilcs , which hit, 
 but hurt not 
 
 I Bc*e. 
 
B*w. A mod manly witte Margaret , it will not hurt a wo- 
 man : and fo I pray thee call Beatrice , 1 giue thee the buck- 
 lers. 
 
 Marg. Giuevs the fwordes, weehaue bucklers of our 
 
 owne. 
 
 Bene. Ifyouvfe them Margaret, you muftputte in the 
 pikes with a vice, and they are daungerous weapons for 
 rnaides. 
 
 Mar. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, wholihinke hath 
 
 Rene. And therefore wil come . The God of loue that fits 
 aboue, and knowes mec, and knowes me, how pittifull I de- 
 fcrue. Imeaneinfinging, butinlouing, Leander the good 
 fwimmer, Troilusthefirftimploier ofpandars, and a whole 
 booke full of thefe quondam carpet-mongers, whofe names 
 yet runne fmoothly in the euen rode of a blancke verfe , why 
 they were neuer (b truly turnd ouer and ouer as my poore felfe 
 in Ioue:mary I cannot fhcw it in rime,! haue tried, I can finde 
 outnorimeto Ladiebutbabie, an innocent rime: forfcorne, 
 liornc,a hard rimerfbr fchoole foole,a babling rime: very omi- 
 nous endings , no, I was not borne vnder a riming plannet, 
 nor I cannot wooe in feftiuall termes:fwecte Beatrice wouldlt 
 thou come when I cald thee? 
 
 Hear. Yea fignior,and depart when you bid me. 
 
 Rene. O ftay but till then. 
 
 B*v* . Then,is fpoken: fare you wel now>and yet ere T goe, 
 let me goe with that I came , which is , with knowing what 
 hath paft betweeneyou and Claudio, 
 
 Bene. Onely foule words,and thei evpon I will kifTethee. 
 
 B^/ Foule words is but foule wind, and foule wmd is but 
 foule breath,and foule breath is noifomevtherforel wildepart 
 vnkift. 
 
 fttne. Thou hafl frighted the word out of his rijjit fence, 
 fb forcible is thy wit,but I mufttel theeplainly,Claudio vnder* 
 goes my challenge, and cither I muR mortlyheare from him, 
 or I will fubfcribe him a coward, and I pray thee now tell me, 
 
 for 
 

 
 about y^otbing. 
 
 for which of my bad parts didft thou firftfaiin loue with me? 
 
 Beat. For them all together, which maintaind fo politicjue 
 a ftate of euil,that they will not admitte any good part to inter- 
 mingle with thcm:but for which of my good parts did you full 
 fuffer loue for me? 
 
 Bene. Suffer loue'.a good epithite.I do fuffer loue indeed, 
 for I loue thee again ft my wilL 
 
 Beat. In (pight of your heart I thinke , alas poor* heart, if 
 you fpight it for my fake,I will fpight it for yours,for I wil ne- 
 uer loue that which my friend hates. 
 
 TZene. Thou and I are too wife to wooe peaceably. 
 
 Beat. It appcares not in this confeffion.tneres not one wi/e 
 man among twcntie that will praife himfelfe. 
 
 3>ene. An old, an old infbnce Beatrice, that liu'd in the time 
 of good neighbours,ifa man do not creel in this age his ownc 
 toomb ere he dies, he (hall hue no longer in monument, then. 
 the bell rings,and the widow wecpes. 
 
 Beat. And how long is that thinke you? 
 
 Ttene. Queftion, why an hower in clamour and a quarter in 
 rhcwme , therefore is it moft expedient for the wife , if Don 
 wormc(his con{cience)rindno impediment to the contra ry,to 
 be the trumpet of his owne vertucs,as I am to my felflb much 
 forpraifmgmyfelfe,who I my felfcwill bearewitnesis praife 
 worthie,and now tell me,how doth your cofin? 
 
 r t*t. Vericill. 
 
 Bent'. Andliowdoyou? 
 
 Beat. Verieilltoo. 
 
 TZcne . Seruc God,louc rne,and mend,iherc wil T leaueyou 
 too,for here comes one in hade. Enter f-'r/a/a. 
 
 VrfitU Madam, youmuftcometoyourvncle,yondersold 
 coile at home,it is prooued my Lady Hero hath bin falfcly ac- 
 cufde,the Prince and Claudio mightily abufde^nd Don John 
 is the author of all, who is fled and gone : will you come pre- 
 fently? 
 
 Beat. Will you go hcnrc this ncwcs fignior? 
 
 Bene. I willtuein thy heart,die in thy lap, and be buried in 
 tliy cies:and moreoucr, I wil go with thee to thy varies, exit. 
 
 I 2 Snter 
 
68 
 
 oe 
 
 ntcr Cl*udio> ^Pr mce^nd three or four &itk tapers. 
 Claude Is this the monument of Leonato/ 
 Lord It is my Lord. EtitAph. 
 
 Done to death by flauoerous tongues, 
 Was the Hero that heerelies: 
 Death in guerdon of her wronges, 
 Giues her lame which neuer dies: 
 So the life that dyed with (hame, 
 Liues in death with glorious fame. 
 Hang thou there vpon the toomb, 
 iiin* hir when I am dead. 
 
 uhck (bund & (Ing your folemne hymne. 
 Pardon goddcfTe of the night, 
 
 Prail 
 Claudio Nowinul 
 
 Song 
 
 Thofe that flew tW virgin knight, 
 For the which with fbngs of woe, 
 Round about her tombethey goe: 
 Midniehtaffift our mone ; help vsto figh 6c grone. 
 Heauilyheauily. 
 
 Graues yawne and yeeld your dead, 
 Till death be vttered, 
 
 Heauily heauily. (right- 
 
 Lo. Now vnto thy bones good night, yeerely will I do this 
 Prince Good morrow maiflers, put your torches out, 
 Tlie wolues haue preied, and looke, the gentle day 
 Before the wheeles of Phoebus, round about 
 Dapples the drowfieEaft with foots of grey: 
 Thanks to you al,and leaue vs, fare you well. 
 
 CLtudio Good morrow mafters.each his fcueral! way. 
 Prince Come let vs bcnce>and put on other weedes, 
 And then 10 Leonatoes we will goe. 
 
 CUudio And Hymen now with luckier iffue fpeeds, 
 Then this for whom we rendred vp this woe. 
 Enter LeoyiaioJBenfMcl^lWargarct ItrfHlt jild man frier fiero* 
 Frier Did I not tell you /hee was innocent/ 
 Leo. So are (he Prince and Claudio who accufd her, 
 Vpon the ci rour that you heard debated: 
 But Mnrgaret was in fomc fault for this, 
 A hhough againfl her will as it appeares, In 
 
about 
 
 In the true courfe of all the queftion. 
 
 Old Wei, I am glad that all things (bits (b well. i 
 
 *Bened. And fo am I,being cl(c by faith enforil 
 To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it 
 
 Leo. Welldauehtcr,and you gentlewomen all, 
 Withdraw into a chamber by your (clues, 
 And when I (end for you come hither masked: 
 ThePrinceand Claudio promifHe by thishowre 
 To vifite me,you know your office brother, 
 You mud be father to your brothers daughter, 
 And giuc her to youn; Claudio. Exeunt Ladief. 
 
 Old Which I will doe with confirmd countenance. 
 Bened. Frier,! muft intreate your paines,! thinke. 
 Frier To doe what Signior ? 
 Bencd. Tobindme,orvndome,oneofthem: 20 
 
 Signior Leonato,truth it is good Signior, 
 Your niece regards me with an eye offauour. 
 Leo. That eye my daughter lent her,tis moft (rue. 
 *Bened. And I do with an eye of loue requite her. 
 Leo. The fight whereof I thinke you had from me, 
 From Ciaudio and the Prince, but whats your will . ? 
 
 fteved. Your anfwere fir is enigmatic.ill, 
 But for my wil, my will is, your good will 
 May (land with ours, this day to beconioynd, 
 In the ffote of honorable marriage, 
 In which (good Frier) I dial defire your help, 
 
 Leo. My heart is with your liking. 32 
 
 Trier Andmyhelpe. 
 Heere comes the Prince and Claudio. 
 
 Enter Trince, ttndflaxdio, and two or three other. 
 Prince Good morrow to this faire aflcmbly. 
 Leo. Good morrow Prince,good morrow Claudio: 
 We htere attend you, are you yet determined, 
 To day to marry with my brothers daughter? 
 l<uid. lie hold my mind were (he an Ethiope, 
 Leo Call her foorth brother,hercs the Frier ready. 
 7\ Good morrow B cned,why whats the matter? *c f 
 
 I 3 That 
 
7O 
 
 That you hauefuch a Febraarie face, 
 So full of froft,of ftorme,and clowdmefle. 
 
 fltudt I thinke he thinkes vpon the fauage bull: 
 Tufh fearc not man > wecletip thy homes with gold, 
 And all Europa /hall rcioyccat thee, 
 A s once Europa did at luftic loue, 
 When he would play the noble bead in loue. 
 
 Bene. Bull loue fir had an amiable lowe, 
 And fome fiich ftrange bull leapt your fathers covve, 
 And got a calfe in that fame noble fcate, 
 Much like to you,for you haue iuft his bleate. 
 
 nter brother y Hero, Beatrice, Margaret JUrjftla. 
 flan. For this I owe yourhere comesother recknings. 
 Which is the Lady I muft feize vpon? 
 
 Leo. This fame is fhe,and I do giue you her. 
 C/aud. Why then dices mine,(weet,lct me fee your face. 
 Leon. No that you (hall not tilJ you take her hand, 
 Before this Fricr,and fwcare to marry hir. 
 
 Claud. Giue me your hand before this holy Frier, 
 I am your husband if you like of me, 
 
 Hero And when I liu'd 1 was your other wife, 
 And when you loucd, you were my other husband. 
 C/auA. Another Hero. 
 Hero Nothing certainer. 
 One Hero died defilde,but I do Hue, 
 And (urely as J Hue,I am a maide. 
 
 Prince The former Hero, Hero that is dead. 
 Leon. She died my Lord,but whiles her (launder liu'd. 
 Trier AH this amazement can I quahfie, 
 When after that the holy rites are ended, 
 lie tell you largely offaire Heroes death, 
 Meane time let wonder fee me familiar, 
 And to the chappell let vs prefently. 
 'Ben. Soft and fairc Frier,which is Beatrice? 
 *BeAt. I anfwer to that name,what is your will? 
 Rene. Do not you loue me? 
 'Seat. Why no,no more then reafbn. 
 
 gene. 
 
about . Viv 
 
 SfMf. Why then your vncle> and the prince, and Claudio 
 Hauc bcenc dcceiued, they fworc you did. 
 . Do not you loue me? 
 . Troth no ,110 more then rcafbn. 
 . Why then my cofin Margaret and Vrfula 
 Are much deceiu'd>fbr they did fwcarc you did. 
 
 Bcne. They fworc that you were almoQ ficke for me. 
 13r*;. They (wore that you were welnigh dtacl for me. 
 Eene. Tis no fuch matter,then you do not louc me. 
 B<w. No truly,but in friend ly rccompencc. 
 Leon. Come cofui,! am furc you loue the gentleman. 
 flan. And lie bcfworne vpon't, that he loues her, 
 For heres a paper written in his hand, 
 A halting fonnet of his ownc pure brainc, 
 Fafhioned to Beatrice. 
 
 Hero And heres another, 
 Writ in my cofins hand,ftolne from her pocket, 
 Containing her affeftion vnto Benedicke. 
 
 Efe t A miracle,heres ourowne hands againfl our hearts: 
 come,I will haue thee,but by this light J take thee for pittie. 
 
 Beat. 1 would not denie you,but by this good day, I yeeld 
 vpon great perfwafion, and partly to faue your life , for J was 
 told, you wereina confumption, 
 Leon, Peace I will flop your mouth, 
 Prince How doft thou Benedicke the married man? 
 Bcne, lie tel thee what prince:a collcdge of wilte- crackers 
 cannot flout me out of my humour, doft thou think I care for 
 a Satyre or an Epigrammc ? no, if a man will be beaten with 
 braincs, a fliall weare nothing hanfome about him: in briefe, 
 fince I doe purpofe to marrie,! will think nothing to anie pur- 
 pofe that the world can faie againfl it, andtherforeneuer Hout 
 at me/or what I haue faid againft it: for man is a giddie thing, 
 and this is my conclufion : for thy part Claudio, I did thinke 
 to haue beaten thee,but in that thou art like to btmy kinftnan, 
 liue vnbrnifde,and loue my coufen. 
 
 Cku. I had wel hopte thou would (1 haue denied Beatrice, 
 tliat I might haue cudgclld thee out of thy fingle life, to make 
 
 ihee 
 
72 
 
 
 adoe 
 
 thee a double dealer,which out of queftion them wilt be,if my 
 coofi n do not looke exceeding narrowly to thee, 
 
 BK% Come, come^'e are friends,let$ haue a dance ere we 
 are maried,that we may lighten our own htarts^and our wiues 
 hecles, 
 
 Leon. Week haue dancing afterward. 
 
 "Btne. Firft,of my worde, therefore plsie muGcke, Prince, 
 thou art fad,get thee a wife,get thee a wife , there is no ftaffe 
 more reuerent then one tipt with home. 
 
 i My Lord,your brother lohn is tane in flight, 
 And brought with armed men backe to Medina. 
 
 Tterte. T hinke not on him rill to morrow , ilc deuife dice 
 brauepunifhmcnts for himrftrike vp Pipers. done* , 
 
 FINIS. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 BERKELEY 
 
 Return to desk from which borrowed. 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 I Dec's 
 
 IN STACKS 
 
 NOV181958 
 NOV 18 1958 L 
 
 V 
 
 LD 21-100m-ll,'49(B71468l6)476 
 
 MAY 2 9 
 
 IN 
 
 APR 2 3 1964 
 
 REC'D LD 
 
 JUN10'64-2PM 
 
 'OCT271984 
 
 1 1 1977 
 
 L Returr- 
 
 2lFeb'3T 
 
 I '976 
 
 ~) LD 
 
 Cruz Jftncy 
 
 ^ 
 
 '963 
 ^ 
 
 
YC! 07527